Effect of moisture conservation practices on growth and yield of pearl millet + pigeonpea intercropping system

A field experiment was conducted during kharif season of 2012 and 2013 to study the effect of moisture conservation practices on growth and yield attributes of pearl millet + pigeonpea intercropping system under rainfed condition in Madhya Pradesh. On the basis of two years pooled data results revealed that green leaf manure with maize residue mulch treatment recorded higher plant height (110.3cm), more number of tillers per plant (8.4), higher ear length (12.4cm) and grain weight (33.5g) in pearl millet. Similar treatment recorded higher pigeonpea plant height (140.44cm), primary branches (8.83), higher number of pods (90.3) and pod weight per plant (79.62g). The magnitude of improvement in grain yield of pearl millet and pigeonpea was 30.18 and 99.9% respectively, by green leaf manure with maize residue mulch compared to control. Similarly PMEY, net return and benefit cost ratio were also higher in green leaf manure with maize residue mulch over control.