Evaluation of soybean and green gram as intercrops with maize under different row proportions in the north-eastern hill region, India

Intercropping maize with legumes can enhance diversity, stability, complementary sharing of resources, maintain soil fertility, productivity and livelihood of the farmers. The current study was aimed to develop the scientific knowledge of maize and pulse intercropping and their combinations in different planting structures.

The field experiment consisted of seven treatments viz. sole maize, sole soybean, sole green gram and two intercropping ratios of soybean and green gram with maize at 1:1 and 1:2 row ratios and laid out in randomized block design in four replications during 2018-19 at Imphal. The intercropping, economic and competitive efficiency indices were calculated accordingly.

Intercropping of maize either with soybean or green gram in 1:2 ratio gave the best combination based on intercropping and economic efficiencies. Maize + soybean at 1:2 row produced the highest maize equivalent yield (82.65 q ha^-1), system productivity (22.60 kg ha^-1 day^-1) and production efficiency (55.84 kg ha^-1 day^-1). Maize + green gram at 1:2 ratio had significantly higher land equivalent ratio (1.7) and land equivalent co-efficient (0.54) whereas maize + soybean at 1:2 ratio produced the highest area time equivalent ratio (1.27). Competition between the crops was higher under maize + green gram at 1:1 ratio.