Productivity and biological efficiency of intercropping finger millet (eleusine coracana(l.) gaertn.) with pulses

Abstract

The study entitled “Productivity and biological efficiency of intercropping finger millet (Eleusine coracana (L.) Gaertn.) with pulses” was undertaken at College of Agriculture, Vellayani, during 2018 – 2020. The main objectives were to assess the productivity of intercropping finger millet with pulses, to study the effect of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) on the performance of finger millet under intercropping and to work out the biological efficiency and economics of the intercropping systems. The field experiment was carried out at the Integrated Farming System Research Station, Karamana, during February to May 2020. The study comprised intercropping finger millet (var. PPR 2700) with three pulses, viz., green gram (var. CO 8), black gram (var. DU 1) and cowpea (var. Kanakamony), in the ratio 4:1. Finger millet was raised with and without AMF. The experiment was laid out in randomised block design with 11 treatments, replicated thrice. The treatments were T1 – finger millet as sole crop (without AMF), T2 – finger millet as sole crop (with AMF), T3 – finger millet (without AMF) + green gram; T4 – finger millet (with AMF) + green gram, T5 – finger millet (without AMF) + black gram, T6 – finger millet (with AMF) + black gram, T7 – finger millet (without AMF) + cowpea, T8 – finger millet (with AMF) + cowpea and T9, T10 and T11 were sole crops of green gram, black gram and cowpea respectively. The results of the study revealed that sole crop of finger millet inoculated with AMF (T2) resulted in significantly taller plants, higher tiller count, leaf area index (LAI), dry matter production, crop growth rate, relative growth rate, productive tiller count, ear length, finger length, grain yield per plant, grain yield (2.03 t ha-1) and straw yield (4.76 t ha-1). Among the intercropping systems tested, T8 (finger millet with AMF + cowpea) produced higher productive tiller count (2.90 per plant), longer ears (11.47 cm), finger length, grain yield per plant, grain yield (1.64 t ha-1) and straw yield (3.82 t ha-1). Growth, growth attributes, yield attributes and yield of pulses varied significantly with intercropping. Leaf area index was superior with sole cropping. Among the intercropping treatments, intercropping of finger millet (with AMF) + pulses resulted in significantly superior LAI and dry matter production. In general, among the three pulses tested, rooting depth and root volume were higher for cowpea than green gram and black gram. Number of pods per plant and number of seeds per pod were significantly more in sole crop of green gram. In the case of cowpea, T8 produced significantly more number of seeds per pod. Seed yield, haulm yield and harvest index were observed to be significantly superior for the sole crop of pulses. . Sole crop of cowpea (T11) resulted in significantly lower weed density (98.62 m-2) and weed dry weight (22.97 g m-2). Finger millet inoculated with AMF recorded lower weed dry weight, irrespective of the pulse intercropped. Weed smothering efficiency was the highest for finger millet intercropped with cowpea. Land equivalent ratio (1.59) and relative crowding coefficient (16.01) were the highest for T7, followed by T8. While area time equivalent ratio and percentage yield difference were higher in T8, competition index was lower. All the three pulses exhibited dominance as indicated by positive (+) aggressivity, the highest being for cowpea (+ 0.54). Competition ratio also followed the same trend. Finger millet (with AMF) + cowpea (T8) had the highest (3388 kg ha-1) finger millet equivalent yield (FMEY) followed by T7. Irrespective of the pulse intercropped, inoculating finger millet with AMF enhanced the FMEY. The treatment, T8 (finger millet with AMF + cowpea) resulted in significantly higher uptake of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium. Sole crop of cowpea registered significantly higher available nitrogen content in soil after the experiment. Among the intercropping systems, T8 and T6 resulted in considerably higher available nitrogen and available phosphorus respectively. Gross returns, net returns and monetary equivalent ratio were higher in T8 (finger millet with AMF + cowpea). Inoculating finger millet with AMF resulted in higher net returns and benefit cost ratio. The present study revealed that intercropping finger millet with pulses resulted in higher overall productivity. Inoculating finger millet with AMF at the rate of 10 kg ha-1 enhanced the growth and yield of the crop. Intercropping cowpea in finger millet (inoculated with AMF) in the ratio 4:1, resulted in higher crop equivalent yield and economics.