Performance Assessment of Pigeonpea and Millet Intercropping in Different Systems

Abstract

In this investigation effort has been made for evaluation of pigeonpea-millet intercropping systems under rainfed kharif upland condition in coastal Odisha. The trial was targeted for the horizontal expansion of both pulses and millets and enhance productivity per unit land area for poverty alleviation. Field experiment was conducted at the Nutri-Crops Research Station, OUAT, Berhampur. Altogether 10 treatments including 6 intercropping combinations with four sole crops of pigeonpea (GRG-152), finger millet (Shreeratna), proso millet (TNAU-202) and little millet (OLM-217) were laid out in randomized block design with three replications. The yield of individual component crops in intercropping combinations were always less than their respective yield in sole crops. The percentage of reduction in grain yield of pigeonpea in intercropping system was found minimum (4.38%) with proso millets in 2:5 proportion and maximum (23.78%) with finger millet in 1:3 proportion, as compared to the sole crop yield. However combined yield expressed as pigeonpea equivalent yield were always found higher than the sole crops of both component. Performance of paired row sowing (mean PEY 1873kg /ha) was found superior to that of single row intercropping (mean PEY 1780 kg /ha). Intercropping with finger millet was found most remunerative (mean PEY 1918 kg/ha) followed by that with proso millet (mean PEY 1858 kg /ha). Pigeonpea+finger millet (2:5) recorded maximum pigeonpea equivalent yield of the system (1999 kg/ ha), maximum net return (Rs.90,446/-), B:C ratio (2.65). The next remunerative system was pigeonpea sown with proso millet in 2:5 proportion (PEY 1894 kg/ ha), which also recorded maximum LER(1.68) of the system. It was concluded that the pigeonpea with finger millet or proso millet in 2:5 proportion may be recommended under kharif rainfed upland situation for eastern and south eastern coastal plain zone of Odisha for higher productivity and profitability.