Growth, development and yield as affected by planting pattern and weed management in field pea and baby corn intercropping system

Abstract

A field experiment was conducted during two consecutive seasons of rabi 2011-13 at Dr. Norman E. Borlaug Crop Research Centre of G.B. Pant University of Agriculture and Technology, Pantnagar to find out the effect of planting pattern and weed management practices on growth, development and yield of field pea and baby corn in field pea (Pant P-13) + baby corn (Surya) intercropping system. The experiment was laid out in split plot design keeping four planting patterns as main plot and four weed management practices as sub plot with three replications. Most of the growth parameters viz. number of branches per plant, dry matter accumulation (g/plant), crop growth rate and relative growth rate of field pea were comparatively higher under sole planting of field pea as compared to intercropping systems. Sole planting of field pea recorded significantly higher grain (2264 and 1434 kg ha-1) and straw yields (3263 and 2540 kg ha-1) during 2011-12 and 2012-2013 than yield obtained as a component crop in paired planting of maize (30/60 cm) + field pea (2:2) and planting of maize + field pea (1:1). Baby corn yield was similar in sole, paired (2:2) and 1:1 planting but significantly higher stover yield of baby corn (3576 kg ha-1 and 3533 kg ha-1, during 2011-12 and 2012-2013 respectively) was obtained from sole crop than other planting methods during both the years. Hand weeding at 30 days after sowing, pre emergence application of pendimethalin 1 kg ha-1 and post emergence application of imazethapyr 50 g ha-1 30 days after sowing improved all the growth and yield parameters of field pea and baby corn than weedy check.