Competitive indices of wheat + compact-mustard intercropping in a 5:1 row proportion as influenced by fertilizer doses and seed rates of wheat varieties

Abstract

A field experiment in a split-plot design with three replications was conducted on wheat + compact-mustard intercropping in a 5:1 row proportion at the research farm, Institute of Agricultural Sciences, Banaras Hindu University, India, during the winter seasons of 2005.–2006 and 2006.–2007. The main plot treatment involved a combination of three fertilizer doses [100, 120 and 140% recommended fertilizer dose (RFD) to wheat, accompanied by 100% RFD to mustard] and two wheat varieties (HD-2824 and HUW-468); the subplot treatment consisted of three seed rates of wheat (100, 115 and 130 kg ha−1). The treatment differences were studied intensively in light of the various reciprocity indices. Wheat variety HD-2824 at 115 kg ha−1 seed rate and 140% RFD, intercropped with compact-mustard variety Sanjukta Aschesh at 100% RFD in a 5:1 row proportion, resulted in the best land utilization, maximum productivity and monetary advantage. Among the various yield indices studied, area time equivalent ratio (ATER), competitive ratio (CR) and effective land equivalent ratio (LER) curves were found to be good for comparing the variations in fertilizer doses and seed rates used in wheat varieties. Nevertheless, to compare monetary advantage, the monetary advantage index (MAI) based on LER proved a better index than intercropping advantage (IA), which is based on actual yield loss (AYL).