Email:
sanjukta_m@yahoo.co.in
Address:
Regional Research and Technology Transfer Station, Orissa University of Agriculture and Technology, Chiplima, Sambalpur, Odisha 768 025
Crop geometry, Irrigation schedule, Intercropping, Maize + green gram, Weed control
A field experiment was conducted under West Central Table Land Zone, Odisha during winter (Rabi) seasons of 2013-14 and 2014-15 to study the effect of irrigation schedule and planting geometry on weed control and productivity in maize + green gram intercropping. The results revealed that irrigating the crop at 0.8 IW/CPE recorded lowest weed density (23.6/ m2) and weed dry matter (10.9 g/ m2). This moisture regime also produced highest yield of individual component (3.36 t/ha for maize and 0.22 t/ha for greengram) of the system and the highest maize equivalent yield (4.4 t/ha). Intercropping of maize with green gram irrespective of their row ratio effectively reduced the weed density and dry weight at 60 days after sowing compared to pure cropping of maize. The grain yield of maize in all the intercropping system except 1:2 row ratio was statistically at par with its yield in pure stand. However the productivity of green gram significantly reduced in intercropping system compared to its sole cropping (0.35 t/ha). Maize equivalent yield in 2:2 planting pattern was remarkably high (4.87 t/ha) compared to other planting geometries tested. The highest B:C ratio was recorded at 0.80 IW/CPE (2.25) and with 2:2 planting pattern of maize + green gram (2.28).