Yield and Resource Utilization Efficiency in Baby Corn—Legume-Intercropping System in the Eastern Plateau of India

Abstract

Cereal-legume intercropping plays a pivotal role for increasing land use efficiency and atmospheric nitrogen fixation. A field experiment was carried out on a baby corn–legume intercropping system in 2:1 and 2:2 additive series in the eastern plateau region of India over two consecutive rainy seasons (2003/2004). The experimental design was a randomized complete block with 13 treatments replicated thrice. Significant (p ≤ 0.05) differences were observed in grain yield with 2:1 and 2:2 intercropping treatments. Legumes yield was significantly reduced when intercropped with baby corn. However, total productivity in terms of baby corn yield equivalent (7063 kg ha−1) was highest under the baby corn–groundnut intercropping system, and land use efficiency was higher under the intercropping system as compared with monocrops of either species. There was a significant increase in atmospheric nitrogen fixation by the legumes for the intercropping system over monocrops. Baby corn facilitated an increase in nodule number and dry weight in legumes under intercropping over monocrops; moreover, root length of legumes was greater when intercropped with baby corn. These findings suggest that intercropping baby corn and legumes, particularly groundnut, can increase total productivity per unit area, improve land use efficiency, and increase atmospheric nitrogen fixing ability.