Impact of water management practices on productivity of soybean + maize intercropping system in Chambal command

Abstract

On-farm trials of soybean + maize intercropping system with improved water management
practices were conducted during Kharif season from 2011 to 2014 at farmer's field of Left and
Right main canal of Chambal command under Operational Research Programme (ORP) operated
by Agricultural Research Station, Kota. The main objective was to evaluate impact of Soybean +
Maize intercropping system in the row ratio of 4:2 with improved water management practices
for enhancing the productivity and economics of soybean crop. Two treatments were evaluated at
12 locations and comprised of Improved water management practices i.e. two irrigations, first at
full branching and second at pod development stages by border strip (6 m x 50 m) method using
80 per cent cut off ratio in soybean + maize intercropping system were compared with farmer's
practice i.e. flood irrigation method both in sole crop of soybean and maize at 12 locations. Results
revealed that soybean + maize intercropping system with improved water management practices
gave higher and sustainable soybean equivalent yield over the years compared to farmers practice.
The mean soybean equivalent yield (1663 kgha-1) with 1.10 LER was 9.2 percent higher as compared
to farmers practice (1525 kgha-1). Pooled sustainability of soybean equivalent yield reflects the
higher sustainability yield index (0.808) and sustainability value index (0.802). Efficiency indices
for water use, production efficiency and incremental benefit cost ratio were also found higher in
test block over the control block.