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Intercropping is a way to augment production through intensifying cropping by
combining different crops thereby utilisying the available resources more efficiently.
The productivity of intercropping system can be enhanced by adopting suitable
planting geometry and by proper nutrient and water management. Information on
planting geometry and schedules of fertigation and drip irrigation can help in further
increasing the productivity of the system. The present study was undertaken to assess
the bio economic suitability of chilli- amaranth intercropping system under different
nutrient and water regime.
The experiment entitled “Chilli-Amaranth intercropping system under
fertigation” was conducted at Water Management Research Unit, Vellanikkara during
January to July 2017. The trial was laid out in randomized block design replicated
thrice. The treatments consisted of chilli- amaranth intercropping system planted at
two different planting geometries viz., normal row planting and paired row planting,
three nutrient levels viz., 100, 75 and 50 per cent of NPK recommendation for both
crops as fertigation and two irrigation levels viz., 100 per cent Epan and 75 per cent
Epan and two control viz., chilli pure crop and amaranth pure crop.
Performance of crops under intercropping and pure crop system revealed that
the yield of intercropped chilli was 41 per cent lower than chilli pure crop. However
for amaranth, the yield was 17 per cent higher under intercropping compared to pure
crop. In addition to the fertigation of amaranth, amaranth receives nutrients from
fertigation given to chilli crop. This resulted in the higher dry matter production and
nutrient uptake of intercropped amaranth and finally higher yield.
Paired row pattern was adopted to accommodate more intercrops. However
planting geometry had no significant influence on the yield performance of
intercropped chilli and amaranth.
The nutrient levels showed no significant difference on the yield of
intercropped chilli, whereas yield of intercropped amaranth was significantly
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influenced. Intercrop yield of amaranth at 100 per cent of nutrient dose (26,227 kg/ha)
was significantly higher than intercrop yield of amaranth at 75 (21,824 kg/ha) and 50
per cent of nutrient dose (24,050 kg/ha) and pure crop yield (20,559 kg/ha).
Intercropped chilli receiving irrigation at 100 per cent Epan recorded 37 per
cent higher yield compared to lower level of irrigation. However, the performance of
intercropped amaranth was not significantly influenced by the irrigation levels. The
water productivity increase at 100 per cent Epan for intercropped chilli + amaranth
was 170 per cent and 54 per cent higher compared to pure crop chilli and pure crop
amaranth respectively.
LER (Land Equivalent Ratio), LEC (Land Equivalent Coefficient), ATER
(Area Time Equivalent Ratio), RCC (Relative Crowding Coefficient) and CEY (Crop
Equivalent Yield) were worked out for assessing biological efficiency of
intercropping system. LER more than 1.0, LEC more than 0.25 and higher values of
ATER and CEY revealed the biological efficiency of chilli- amaranth intercropping
system compared to pure crop system. Intercropping system under normal row
planting produced significantly higher LER (2.84) compared to paired row planting.
In addition, nutrient level of 100 per cent NPK recommendation showed higher LER
(2.81) compared to lower doses. Irrigation at 100 per cent Epan recorded significantly
higher value of LEC and ATER.
Economic benefit of intercropping system was assessed using gross return, net
return and B:C ratio. The net return of chilli-amaranth intercropping system
(Rs.428212) was 116 per cent higher compared to pure crop chilli (Rs.197716) and
164 per cent higher to pure crop of amaranth (Rs.24548). The study indicated that
there is an effective utilization of space, nutrients and water when amaranth was raised
as intercrop with chilli. To get maximum biological and economic benefit from chilli-
amaranth intercropping system, planting should be done at normal row with 100 per
cent recommended dose of nutrients for both the crops and irrigation at 100 per cent
Epan under fertigation during summer season.