Agronomic and economic evaluation of groundnut (Arachis hypogaea) cereal fodder intercropping during the post rainy season

Abstract

A field trial was conducted on groundnut (Arachis hypogaea L.) intercropping during post rainy seasons of 1996 and 1997 with 3 cereal fodders, maize (Zea mays L.), pearlmillet [Pennisetum glaucum (L.) R. Br. emend. Stuntz] and sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench] to provide green fodder during the dry season, and to assess the profitability of intercropping system over prevailing practice of sole cropping of groundnut in post rainy season. The green fodder yield was the highest in pearlmillet with 2 cuts. The highest pod yield (24 qlha) was recorded in sole groundnut. Significant reduction in yields, yield attributes, leaf area, nodule mass of groundnut were recorded when 2 cuts of pearlmillet and sorghum were planned. However, such yield reduction was nullified by high fodder yield and high net returns obtained from 2 cuts of pearlmillet. Thus, 2 cuts of pearlmillet, one at 60 days and the other at 106 days in association with summer groundnut not only provided additional income to the farmer but also mitigated the fodder scarcity to some extent in dry season.