Influence of sesame and groundnut intercropping system on productivity and competitive ability of crops

Abstract

The demand supply gap between production of edible oilseeds and domestic need for edible oils warrants increase in production of edible oilseeds in India. Hence, there is a scope for adoption of appropriate cropping systems with improved agronomic practices. Sesame (Sesamum indicum L.) and groundnut (Arachis hypogaea L.) are two important oilseeds that can be cultivated during different cropping systems under limited resource conditions. Based on the above, a field experiment on intercropping sesame + groundnut was conducted at the Experimental Farm of Centurion University of Technology and Management, Odisha. Reduction of proportion of an individual crop species reduced the productivity over their respective pure stands. Among intercropping combinations, the treatment T5: sesame + groundnut (1:3) produced more oil yield (594 kg/ha). The study clearly indicated that 50 percent or above population of groundnut recorded considerably higher oil yield under the intercropping sesame + groundnut. The land equivalent ratio, relative crowding coefficient and monetary advantage was advantageous with the treatments T3: sesame + groundnut (1:1), T4: sesame + groundnut (1:2), T5: sesame + groundnut (1:3), T7: sesame + groundnut (2:2), T8: sesame + groundnut (2:3) and T: sesame + groundnut (3:3). The study concluded that sesame can be intercropped in groundnut with a proportion of 50% or more of legumes (groundnut) to achieve the benefits of intercropping during summer season in south Odisha conditions.