Feasibility studies on intercropping green manures with grain legumes and performance of ratooned green manure in pre-rice season and its effect on rice yield

Experiments were conducted during summer and kharif seasons of 2000–2002. Two gram legumes (Vigna radiate, Vigna unguiculata) and two green manures (Sesbania aculeate, Phaseolus trilobus) were raised in 2:1 proportion in the pre-rice season. Grain yield was higher when both grain legumes were grown as sole crops. The yield reduction due to intercropping was lower in green gram than cowpea and it ranged between 12.0 and 20.7 per cent. Sesbania aculeata recorded more biomass production and N accumulation. Sesbania aculeata was more responsive to ratooning than Phaseolus trilobus in terms of regeneration and biomass production. Incorporation of Sesbania aculeata along with 50 kg N/ha produced higher grain yield in the succeeding rice.