INTERCROPPING MAIZE WITH GROUNDNUT IN CHAR LAND

Abstract

Intercropping is a farming practice involving two or more crop species, or genotypes, growing together and coexisting for a time. On the fringes of modern intensive agriculture, intercropping is important in many subsistence or low-input/resource-limited agricultural systems. Intercropping in order to improve land use efficiency, take advantage of intercropping facilitation and improve economic benefits. Also, linked with the higher yield, the associated higher amount of cereals-legume by-product is preferred for animal feed or human consumption. The objective of this study is to find out the suitable groundnut – maize intercropping system and increase productivity, economic and nutritional development of charland farmers of Bangladesh. In the experiment, intercropping system such as One row of maize in between two normal rows of groundnut, one row of maize (leaf cutting at the age of 115 days) in between two normal rows of groundnut, which was compared with sole maize, Sole maize (leaf cutting at the age of 115 days) and sole groundnut production. Total yields of maize /groundnut intercropping were higher than that of sole maize and groundnut. Maize /groundnut intercropping is the efficient use of light because of complementary use of space between the maize plants and the groundnut plants. Maize /groundnut intercrop gross return and BCR per hectare were found higher than from sole crop system. The total yield of intercropped crops was greater than sole cropping shown by LER>1. The overall advantage of intercropping ranged from 73 to 86%. The highest land equivalent value of 86% was recorded from paired row maize (leaf cutting at the age of 115 days) in between four normal rows of groundnut sowing arrangements indicated a yield advantage of 86% over sole crop.