EFFECT OF CROPPING SYSTEMS, MOISTURE CONSERVATION PRACTICES AND FERTILITY LEVELS ON GROWTH AND YIELD OF PIGEONPEA AND MUNGBEAN IN INTERCROPPING SYSTEM

Abstract

A field experiment on moisture conservation and nutrient management studies in pigeonpea + mungbean intercropping system under rainfed conditions was conducted during kharif seasons of 2004 and 2005. The treatment combinations comprised two cropping systems and three moisture conservation practices. The results indicated that planting of one row of mungbean in between paired rows (30/70 cm) of pigeopea was superior over sole pigeonpea in respect of pigeonpea equivalent yield. Application of dust mulch + FYM 5t/ha + 6% kaolin spray was the best misture conservation practice by recording higher growth and yield of pigeonpea and mungbean over rest of the treatments. Application of 40 kg P2O5/ha + 25 kg S/ha recorded markedly higher growth and yield of pigeonpea under both sole and intercropping system as well as mungbean as compared to control and 40 kg P2O5/ha and it was at par with 40 kg P2O5/ha + 25 kg S/ha + PSB.