Pearl millet Based Cropping Systems in Relation to Plant Population and Moisture Availability

Abstract

Intercropping systems and plant population effect~ were asessed under moisture sufficiency and stress situations. The mean in~ex of moisture adequacy (MIma) during juvenile, vegetative and reproductive phases was 0.77, 0.85 and 0.78, respectively, in a moisture-sufficient season, and 0.6;', 0.41 and 0.25 under moisture stress season. Row intercropping of pearl millet - cluster-bean (1:1) and strip cropping (4:4) with 50% of tile sole pearl millet population produced only 16.6 and 35.4% lower yield in a moisture-sufficient season, and 35.3 and 37.4% lower yield in moisture stress season. Non-proportional yield reductions in pearl millet due to change in plant populations were attributed to border effects. A moderate population of 88,888 plants ha^-1 (equal proportion of pearl millet and clusterbean) was optimum for row intercropping (1: 1) and strip cropping (4:4) in moisture-sufficient season, and low (40,000 plants ha^-1) to moderate populations produced satisfactory yields in moisture stress season. Intercropping systems used 8-14 mm more water compared to sole pearl millet, but the improvement in water-use-efficiencies were conspicuous, more so in a moisture stress season.