The Effect of Cowpea Intercropping and Different Fertilizer Levels on Growth and Yield of Napier Grass

Abstract

Background: The field experiment was conducted to check the optimization of fertilizer requirement for napier grass and cowpea intercropping system at the farm of Lovely Professional University, Phagwara, Punjab during kharif season 2022. Methods: Study was conduct on total twelve treatment combinations, I1 (Sole napier with 100, 75 and 125% RDF), I2 (Sole Cowpea with 100, 75 and 125% RDF), I3 (Napier grass + cowpea intercropping in 1:2 ratio with 100, 75 and 125% RDF) and I4 (Napier grass + cowpea intercropping in 1:3 ratio with 100, 75 and 125% RDF) replicated thrice in Factorial RBD design. Result: All the growth parameters and yield in intercropping with cowpea were found significantly superior over sole napier grass. Maximum plant height (253.6 cm) and number of leaves (16.13) of napier were seen in intercropping with cowpea I4F3 (1:3 ratio + 125% RDF) which were at par with I3F1 (1:3 ratio + 100% RDF) and I3F2 (intercropping in 1:2 ratio + 125% RDF). There was a significant main effect of intercropping on green fodder yield of Napier grass with a higher yield in (75.69 t ha-1 in mixture and 60.65 t ha-1 sole) recorded in the intercropping ratio of 1:3 with 125% RDF (I4F3). The minimum yield of 24.41 t ha-1 was found in I1F2 (sole napier with 75% RDF) followed by 29.41 t ha-1 in I1F1 (Sole napier + 100% RDF) in 1st cutting. Intercropping napier with cowpea enhanced the overall growth and green fodder yield as compared to sole napier.