Intercropping Potential of Seed Spices in Autumn-planted Sugarcane

Abstract

A three-year field experiment was conducted at the Main Sugarcane Research Station, Junagadh Agricultural University, Kodinar, Gujarat, India, from 2019–20 to 2021–22 to identify a productive and remunerative seed-spice intercropping system for autumn-planted sugarcane. The experiment was arranged in a randomised block design with four replications and five treatments: sole sugarcane; sugarcane + coriander at 1:1 and 1:2 row ratios; and sugarcane + fenugreek at 1:1 and 1:2 row ratios. Sugarcane variety CoN 91132 was planted at 90 cm row spacing, with Gujarat coriander 2 and Gujarat methi 2 grown between sugarcane rows. Pooled analysis showed that sole sugarcane produced the highest cane yield (104.20 t ha⁻¹), remaining statistically at par with sugarcane + fenugreek at a 1:1 row ratio (101.27 t ha⁻¹). However, sugarcane + fenugreek (1:1) produced the highest cane-equivalent yield (119.59 t ha⁻¹), exceeding sole sugarcane, sugarcane + fenugreek (1:2), and both coriander-based systems. Intercropping did not significantly affect brix, sucrose, purity, commercial cane sugar, or juice-extraction percentage. The sugarcane + fenugreek (1:1) treatment also recorded the highest net return (₹171,344 ha⁻¹) and benefit–cost ratio (1.95). These results indicate that one row of fenugreek between sugarcane rows provided the most favourable balance of cane productivity, system yield, and economic return under the study conditions.