Mechanized Intercropping of Legumes in Spring Planted Sugarcane

Field experiments were conducted at Chaudhary Charan Singh Haryana Agricultural University, Regional Research Station, Karnal during 2006–07 and 2007–08 followed by demonstrations on intercropping of legumes in sugarcane at farmers’ field in Kaithal district during 2010–11 and 2011–12. Spring planting of sugarcane with different intercrops resulted in higher total equivalent yield (TEY). TEY was highest (116.7 t ha⁻¹) when cluster bean was intercropped in sugarcane. The percent incidence of pink borer, shoot borer, top borer and root borer remained below economical threshold level (ETL). In all intercropping systems, total land equivalent ratio (LERt) was greater than unity. Land equivalent coefficient (LEC) followed the same pattern as LERt. Total area time equivalent ratio (ATERt) values showed an advantage (14–21%) with all intercropping systems than sole cropping with maximum advantage from sugarcane + cluster bean. Higher CR values for the intercrops (CRi) indicated that all the intercrops were more competitive than sugarcane. Total values of actual yield loss (AYLt) showed an advantage of 10.6–40.3% from intercropping systems compared to sole cropping. Maximum intercropping advantage of intercrops (IAi) value was observed in sugarcane + black gram (6738.7) intercropping system. Highest monetary advantage index (MAI) value was obtained from sugarcane + cluster bean (76361) intercropping system. Returns over variable cost in case of sugarcane + black gram, sugarcane + green gram, sugarcane + cowpea and sugarcane + cluster bean were 13320, 18455, 12030 and 30477 ha⁻¹ respectively, which were higher than sole sugarcane.