Growth, yield and economics of amla (Emblica officinalis L.) based agri-horticultural system in Alfisols of semi-arid tropic

Abstract

An intercropping trial conducted during 2011 to 2017 using five year old amla (Emblica officinalis L.) orchard planted at 4 X 4 m spacing and grown under rainfed condition to identify the suitable and profitable intercrops. The intercrops viz, finger millet, fodder maize, field bean, grain amaranth, cowpea, horsegram were considered in the study besides their pure stand. Growth parameter of amla such as plant height (369 cm), number of branches/tree (2.73), stem diameter (35.31 cm), canopy spread (279 cm) and biomass yield (296 kg/ha ) was found to be statistically significant with Amla intercropped with field bean compared with sole amla. The higher amla equivalent yield was recorded in intercropping with finger millet (1517 kg/ha) and was at par with cowpea (1298 kg/ha). Finger millet proved to be better intercrop in amla and registered 57.11 per cent higher net returns and Benefit cost ratio than sole amla. Overall, Amla + finger millet cropping system was found to be more sustainable both interms of benefit cost ratio (2.43) and improving system productivity (104.44 %) followed by pulse crop such as cowpea and field bean. The higher sustainable yield index (0.83) was with amla + finger millet intercropping system while Land Equivalent Ratio and Area Time Equivalent Ratio were higher with amla + field bean intercropping system.