<i>Bt-</i>Cotton–Vegetable-Based Intercropping Systems as Influenced by Crop Establishment Method And Planting Geometry Of <i>Bt</i>-Cotton In Indo-Gangetic Plains Region

Abstract

The present study was conducted at ICAR-Indian Agricultural Research Institute, New Delhi in a splitplot design replicated thrice with four main-plot treatments, i.e. four combinations of two cotton establishment methods (CEMs) and two planting geometries (PGMs) [ M 1 – transplanted cotton (90 × 60 cm PGM); M 2 – transplanted cotton (120 × 45 cm PGM); M 3 – direct seeded cotton (DSC; 90 × 60 cm PGM); M 4 – DSC (120 × 45 cm PGM)]; while sub-plot treatments comprised three intercropping systems [S-Ct – sole cotton; Ct + Ok – cotton + okra (1 : 2 row ratio); Ct + Cp – cotton + cowpea (vegetable purpose; 1 : 2 row ratio)]. It can be inferred from the study that transplanted cotton (TPC) with 90 × 60 cm planting geometry in Bt -cotton + vegetable cowpea intercropping system exhibited maximum seed-cotton equivalent yield (SCEY) as well as gross and net returns and other economic indices, followed by Ct + Ok and sole cotton. DSC with 90 × 60 cm PGM in Ct + Ok intercropping system proved superior in terms of SCEY, and gross and net returns besides other economic indices. Based upon yield advantage indices, TPC in 90 × 60 cm PGM under Ct+Cp intercropping system and DSC in 90 × 60 cm PGM under both intercrops were found to be the best options. Crop competition indices also revealed that the inclusion of these intercrops is advantageous because of spatial and temporal complementarity, different rooting pattern and plant architecture to utilize natural resources more efficiently in Bt -cotton-based intercropping systems in the semiarid Indo-Gangetic plains region.