Productivity and profitability assessment of organically grown ginger-based intercropping systems in terraced land of Sikkim Himalayas

Abstract

An experiment was conducted to evaluate the performance of ginger-based intercropping systems under organic management conditions in the mid-hills of Sikkim Himalayas during the kharif and rabi season of 2021-22. The experiment was laid out in a randomized block design with three replications. The experiment comprised seven ginger-based intercropping treatments viz., T1 - Sole ginger; T2 - Ginger + Fenugreek (Grow ginger and fenugreek in 2:2 ratio Grow fenugreeks in Kharif and Rabi); T3 - Ginger + Coriander + leafy vegetables (Grow ginger and coriander in 2:2 ratio, after harvesting of coriander, grow leafy vegetables in place of coriander); T4 - Ginger + Maize (2:1 or 2:2) (Grow sweet corn in Kharif, Rabi and Summer- 3 times); T5 - Ginger + French Bean (2:2) (Grow French bean in Kharif, Rabi and Summer- 3 times); T6 - Ginger + Arhar (3:1) (Grow arhar in Kharif) and T7 - Ginger + Taro (2:2). Among all the treatments, T3 showed the maximum ginger equivalent yield. However, significantly higher system productivity, system gross returns, system net returns and system B: C ratio was recorded in T3 as compared to other intercropping systems. Induction of coriander in sole ginger system under rainfed condition of Sikkim Himalayas, India not only enhances the system productivity and system profitability but also sustain the soil health on long term basis. Thus, ginger + coriander based production systems under organic management hold great promises for sustaining livelihood of organic growers of Sikkim Himalayas and similar agro ecoregions.