Impact of intercropping of canola oilseed rape (Brassica napus) and Ethiopian mustard (Brassica carinata) with Indian rape (Brassica rapa var. toria) on productivity, economics and competitive indices

Abstract

In the absence of additional land available for cultivation of oilseeds, the widening gap between demand and availability of edible oils in India vis-à-vis increasing dependence on import of vegetable oils can be bridged through improvement in productivity per unit area and time. The present investigation was conducted during rabi 2014-15 to study the compatibility, production potential and optimum row proportion of component crops and economics of intercropping systems of oilseed rape (Brassica napus), Ethiopian mustard (Brassica carinata) and Indian rape (Brassica rapa var. toria). The experiment comprising 14 treatments was conducted in randomized complete block design with three replications. Treatments comprised intercropping ofIndian rape with oilseed rape (canola and non canola) and Ethiopian mustard in different row proportions and row spacings and sole crops. Crops were sown simultaneously inmid September and harvested at different times. Canola/non canola oilseed rape based ICS resulted in higher oilseed rape equivalent seed yields (1806-1958 kg/ha for canola and 2272 kg/ha for non canola), gross income (` 64645-68194/ha for canola and ` 79212/ha for non canola) and net returns (` 37527-38126/ha for canola and ` 49144/ha for non canola) than sole crops (1630 kg, ` 60135 and ` 34625 per ha, respectively for canola and 1849 kg, ` 70188 and ` 44678 per ha, respectively for non canola). Yields, gross and net returns, B:C ratio, monetaryadvantage index, land equivalent ratio and area time equivalent ratio ofintercropping of non canola oilseed rape (2272 kg/ha, ` 79212/ha, ` 49144/ha, 1.63, ` 13990/ha, 1.40 and 1.10, respectively) with Indian rape were higher than that from canola oilseed rape based ICS (1806-1958 kg/ha, ` 64645-68194/ha, ` 37527-38126, 1.26-1.38, ` 5379-8709/ha, 1.17-1.29 and 0.97-1.02, respectively). On the other hand, sole crop of Ethiopian mustard (30 cm row spacing) produced higher equivalent seed yield (2245 kg/ha) and resulted in higher gross income (` 79376/ha), net returns (` 52660/ha) and B:C (1.97) than its intercropping with Indian rape (2176-2216kg/ha, ` 77339-77760/ha, ` 50220-50642/ha and 1.85-1.87, respectively). Non-canola oilseed rape was more compatible with Indian rape than canola oilseed rape and Ethiopian mustard.