Effect of different row ratios and nutrient management strategies on growth, yield and quality of mustard in chickpea + mustard intercropping system

Abstract

Chickpea + mustard is a prominent intercropping system of Indian sub continent under resource constraint conditions. The population ratio and nutrient management strategies have significant bearing on the performance and economic feasibility of component crops in mixed stands. An investigation was therefore undertaken on “Population Compatibility and Nutrient Management Strategies in Chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) +Mustard (Brassica juncea L.) Intercropping Systems” at “Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel University of Agriculture and Technology”, Meerut (U.P.) during rabi season 2017-18, to optimize planting geometry and devise effective nutrient management options. The experiment plot soil was sandy loam in texture with low organic carbon & available nitrogen, medium in available phosphorus & potassium with slightly alkaline pH. Twenty treatments consisting of combinations of 04 intercropping systems viz., Chickpea + mustard in 3:1 and 4:1 row ratio and both in additive and replacement series and 05 nutrient management options viz., recommended dose (RD) to chickpea and mustard both (N1), N1 + biofertilizers (N2), N2 +FYM (N3), N1 but mustard with 150% RD (N4) and N4 with biofertilizers (N5) along with sole stand of component crops tested in RBD with 3 replications. Recommended doses were 100 kg DAP +20kg S ha-1 for chickpea and 120 kg N +40 kg P2O5+20 kg S for mustard. Nutrient application to mustard was made as per plant population against sole cropping. Chickpea seeds were inoculated with Rhizobium and mustard with Azotobacter while PSB was soil applied. The results revealed that except plant height all other growth parameters of mustard viz., number of branches, dry matter accumulation, yield attributes like number of seeds siliqua-1, number of siliqua plant-1 and yield were maximum in intercropping. A reverse trend was however noted in chickpea except for plant height. Nutrient management options had significant effect on performance of component crops being best in chickpea with recommended dose of nitrogen to component crops along with biofertilizers & FYM and mustard gave its best when its recommended dose was enhanced to 150% along with biofertilizers. Thus, chickpea yields got reduced under intercropping but mustard as intercrop not only compensated the chickpea yield losses but also gave additional yields and returns. Mustard raised in 4:1 additive series with chickpea proved to be remunerative with application of 100 kg DAP +20kg S ha-1 to chickpea + Rhizobium inoculation and 30 kg N, 10 kg P2O5& 5kg S ha-1 to mustard +Azotobacter inoculation along with soil application of PSB. Chickpea + mustard is a prominent intercropping system of Indian sub continent under resource constraint conditions.