Performance of cotton (Gossypium spp.) as a relay crop in banana (Musa × paradisiaca) cropping system: A way to sustainable crop diversificationin the Cauvery Delta region, Tamil Nadu

DHANUSHKODI  V; KALAIVANAN  D; ANITHA  R; SANGEETHA  A; KARUNAKARAN  V; PARAMESWARI  K; PERIYAR RAMASAMY  D

doi:10.56093/ijas.v96i8.159385

Authors

DHANUSHKODI V Krishi Vigyan Kendra (Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu), Thiruvarur, Tamil Nadu 614 404, India
KALAIVANAN D ICAR- Indian Institute of Horticultural Research, Bengaluru, Karnataka
ANITHA R Sugarcane Research Station (Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu), Cuddalore, Tamil Nadu
SANGEETHA A Horticulture College and Research Institute for Women (Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu), Trichy, Tamil Nadu
KARUNAKARAN V Krishi Vigyan Kendra (Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu), Thiruvarur, Tamil Nadu
PARAMESWARI K Forest College and Research Institute (Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu), Mettupalayam, Tamil Nadu
PERIYAR RAMASAMY D Krishi Vigyan Kendra (Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu), Thiruvarur, Tamil Nadu

https://doi.org/10.56093/ijas.v96i8.159385

Keywords:

Banana–cotton, Farm income, Land use efficiency, Sustainable agriculture, System productivity

Abstract

A field study was carried out to assess the effectiveness of relay cropping of cotton (Gossypium spp. L.) under banana (Musa × paradisiaca L.) cropping systems in improving crop productivity and farmers’ income during 2020–21 and 2021–22 by Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Sirugamani, Tiruchirappalli, Tamil Nadu. The field experiment was laid out in a randomised block design with three replications having six treatments, viz. T₁, Banana sole crop; T₂, Cotton sole crop; T₃, Cotton two-rows without fertiliser; T₄, Cotton four-rows without fertiliser; T₅, Cotton two-rows with fertiliser; and T₆, Cotton four-rows with fertiliser. Among the cotton crops, T₂ and T₅ yielded highest with 18.57 q/ha and 17.87 q/ha, respectively. Compared to the banana yield obtained from the relay cropping system, a higher yield was obtained from banana sole crops (385.1 q/ha), followed by T₅ (381.7 q/ha). The banana–cotton relay system without fertiliser showed the highest benefit-cost ratio (5.01). Further, the two-row and four-row systems with and without fertiliser application, respectively showed higher land use efficiencies (126.9% and 126.0%, respectively) compared to the sole crop. Production efficiency of 87.17% was recorded for the T₄ application, followed by T₅ (86.68%). The results indicated banana and cotton yield losses of 1.06–2.12% and 4.76–15.85%, respectively, compared to sole crops. Despite these losses, the cropping system maintained profitability with a land equivalent ratio of more than 1.0. Thus, cotton as a relay crop produced the highest economic returns using available land and nutrient resources. Therefore, the banana–cotton relay cropping system may be recommended for wetland conditions to enhance both banana and cotton productivity.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

References

Chiesa T D, Grosso S J D, Hartman M D, Parton W J, Echarte L, Yahdjian L and Pineiro G. 2022. A novel mechanism to simulate intercropping and relay cropping using the DayCent model. Ecological Modelling 465: 109869. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolmodel.2021.109869 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecolmodel.2021.109869

Deshmukh S, Surve V, Patel T, Patel H, Patel Dr, Jagtap P and Mistry P. 2023. Effects of different legumes in castor relay cropping system. Journal of Oil Seed Research 40(special issue). https://doi.org/10.56739/t731t542 DOI: https://doi.org/10.56739/t731t542

Gesch R W, Berti M T, Eberle C A and Weyers S L. 2023a. Relay cropping as an adaptive strategy to cope with climate change. Agronomy Journal 115: 1501–18. https://doi.org/10.1002/agj2.21343 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/agj2.21343

Gesch R W, Mohammed YA and Matthees H L. 2023b. Evaluation of soybean selection and sowing date in continuous cover relay- cropping system with pennycress. Frontier in Sustainable Food System 6: 961099. https://doi.org/10.3389/fsufs.2022.961099 DOI: https://doi.org/10.3389/fsufs.2022.961099

Hoerning C, Wells M S, Gesch R, Forcella F and Wyse D. 2020. Yield trade-offs and weed suppression in a winter annual oilseed relay-cropping system. Agronomy Journal 112(4): 2485–95. https://doi.org/10.1002/agj2.20160 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/agj2.20160

Islam M d, Hossain J, Alam A, Islam M S, Rahman M d, Laing A and Hossain A. 2023. Growth, productivity, competitive ratio, maize equivalent yield, land equivalent ratio, and profitability of hybrid maize as influenced by relay cropping with mukhikachu (Colocasia esculenta Schott.) during rabi season. Current Applied Science and Technology 24: 1–16. https://doi.org/10.55003/cast.2023.256415 DOI: https://doi.org/10.55003/cast.2023.256415

Kamrozzaman M M, Khan M A H, Ahmed S, Quddus A R. 2015. On-farm evaluation of production potential and economics of Wheat–Jute–T. aman rice-based cropping system. Journal of Bangladesh Agricultural University 13(1): 93–100. https://doi.org/10.3329/jbau.v13i1.28724 DOI: https://doi.org/10.3329/jbau.v13i1.28724

Karthikeyan M, Zhou Deyi and Sekhar C. 2021. An investment pattern in banana plantations of Tamil Nadu. International Journal of Current Microbiology and applied Sciences 10: 483–501. https://doi.org/10.20546/ijcmas.2021.1002.057 DOI: https://doi.org/10.20546/ijcmas.2021.1002.057

Khongdee N, Hilger T, Pansak W and Cadisch G. 2021. Early planting and relay cropping: Pathways to cope with heat and drought? Journal of Agriculture and Rural Development in the Tropics and Subtropics 122(1): 61–71. https://doi.org/10.17170/ kobra-202104133652

Lamichhane J R, Alletto L, Cong W, Dayoub E, Maury P, Plaza-Bonilla D, Reckling M, Saia S, Soltani E, Tison G and Debaeke P. 2023. Relay cropping for sustainable intensification of agriculture across temperate regions: Crop management challenges and future research priorities. Field Crops Research 291: 108795. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fcr.2022.108795 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fcr.2022.108795

Leonel S, Leonel M, Jesus P R R D, Tecchio M A, Silva M D S, Candido H T, Molha N Z and Ouros L F D. 2024. Achievements of banana (Musa spp.)-based intercropping systems in improving crop sustainability. Horticulturae 10(9): 956. https://doi.org/10.3390/horticulturae10090956 DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/horticulturae10090956

Liu R, Zhou Guo-peng, Chang Dan-na, Gao Song-juan, Han Mei, Zhang Jiu-dong, Sun Xiao-feng and Cao Wei-dong. 2022. Transfer characteristics of nitrogen fixed by leguminous green manure crops when intercropped with maize in northwestern China. Journal of Integrative Agriculture 21: 1177–87. https:// doi.org/10.1016/S2095-3119(21)63674-2 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/S2095-3119(21)63674-2

Meenakshi S and Manikonda Prasad G. 2022. Banana production in Tamil Nadu and India - A trend analysis. Journal of Pharmaceutical Negative Results 13: 3375–82. DOI: 10.47750/ pnr.2022.13.S07.436

Ocimati W, Ntamwira J, Groot J C J, Taulya G, Tittonell P, Dhed B, Asten P van, Vanlauwe B, Ruhigwa B and Blomme G. 2019. Banana leaf pruning to facilitate annual legume intercropping as an intensification strategy in the East African highlands. European Journal of Agronomy 110: 125923. https://doi. org/10.1016/j.eja.2019.125923 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eja.2019.125923

Parajulee D and Panta S. 2021. A review on maize-finger millet relay cropping in hills of Nepal: Prospects and constraints. Archives of Agriculture and Environmental Science 6(4): 570–74. https://dx.doi.org/10.26832/24566632.2021.0604021 DOI: https://doi.org/10.26832/24566632.2021.0604021

Purnomo E. 2025. Productivity and land use efficiency of relay cropping systems in lowland rice-based agriculture. International Journal of Research in Agronomy 8(1): 215–17. DOI:10.33545/2618060X.2025.v8.i1c.5221 DOI: https://doi.org/10.33545/2618060X.2025.v8.i1c.5221

Raza M A, Din A M U, Zhiqi W, Gul H, Rehman S U, Bukhari B, Haider I, Rahman M H U, Liang X, Luo S, Sabag Qin A E and Ma Zhongming. 2023. Spatial differences influence nitrogen uptake, grain yield, and land-use advantage of wheat/soybean relay intercropping systems. Science Report 13: 16916. https:// doi.org/10.1038/s41598-023-43288-3 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-023-43288-3

Rymbai H, Das A, Mohapatra K P, Talang H D, Nongbri B and Law I. 2021. Ginger (Zingiber officinale) based intercropping systems for enhancing productivity and income- A farmers’ participatory approach. The Indian Journal of Agricultural Sciences 91(7): 956–60. https://doi.org/10.56093/ijas. v91i7.115024 DOI: https://doi.org/10.56093/ijas.v91i7.115024

Sahuri, Ghulamahdi M and Suwarto. 2023. Growth, yield, and land use efficiency of soybean maize relay cropping under saturated soil culture on tidal swamps. Indonesian Journal of Agronomy 51(1): 27–36. https://doi.org/10.24831/ija.v51i1.45811 DOI: https://doi.org/10.24831/ija.v51i1.45811

Sandhu R, Boyd N, Sharpe S, Guan Zhengfei, Qi Qiu, Luo Tian-Yuan and Agehar S. 2020. Management of relay-cropped strawberry and eggplant to maximise yield and economic return. HortScience 55(7): 1083–89. https://api.semanticscholar.org/ CorpusID:225673229 DOI: https://doi.org/10.21273/HORTSCI14932-20

Sandhu R K, Boyd N S, Zotarelli L, Agehara S and Peres N. 2021. Relay cropping bell pepper and tomato: Effects of cropping sequence and transplanting date. HortScience 56(8): 915–21. https://doi.org/10.21273/HORTSCI15928-21 DOI: https://doi.org/10.21273/HORTSCI15928-21

Schiavina M, Melchiorri M, Corbane C, Florczyk A J, Freire S, Pesaresi M and Kemper T. 2019. Multi-scale estimation of land use efficiency (SDG 11.3.1) across 25 years using global open and free data. Sustainability 11(20): 5674. https://doi. org/10.3390/su11205674 DOI: https://doi.org/10.3390/su11205674

Singh Y P. 2023. Relay seeding of berseem in mustard crop influences system productivity and economics. Indian Farming 73: 07–10.

Singh R N, Praharaj C S, Kumar R, Singh S S, Kumar N and Singh U. 2017. Influence of rice (Oryza sativa) habit groups and moisture conservation practices on soil physical and microbial properties in rice + lathyrus relay cropping system under rice fallows in Eastern Plateau of India. The Indian Journal of Agricultural Sciences 87(12): 1633–39. https://doi. org/10.56093/ijas.v87i12.76494 DOI: https://doi.org/10.56093/ijas.v87i12.76494

Suntari, Ghulamahdi M and Maya Melati. 2023. Relay-cropping soybean-maize in saturated soil culture increases efficiency of land use and nitrogen fertiliser. Indonesian Journal of Agronomy 51: 91–100. https://dx.doi.org/10.24831/ija.v51i1.44905 DOI: https://doi.org/10.24831/ija.v51i1.44905

Thompson J B, Doring T F and Bowles T M. 2024. Seasonal soil health dynamics in soy–wheat relay intercropping. Scientific Reports 14: 18989. https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-69903-5 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-024-69903-5

Tripathi S C, Meena R P and Chander S. 2021. Relay cropping of cucurbits in furrows under bed planted wheat for higher profitability. Journal of Cereal Research 13(2): 157–61. http://doi.org/10.25174/2582-2675/2021/109569 DOI: https://doi.org/10.25174/2582-2675/2021/109569

Wang Y, Chen M, Liang F, Tian J, Zhang Y, Jiang C and Zhang W. 2021. Photosynthates competition within the boll-leaf system is alleviated with the improvement of photosynthetic performance during the succession of Xinjiang cotton cultivars. Industrial Crops and Production 160: 113121. https://doi.org/10.1016/j. indcrop.2020.113121 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.indcrop.2020.113121

Willey R W. 1985. Evaluation and presentation of intercropping advantages. Experimental Agriculture 21(2): 119–33. DOI: 10.1017/S0014479700012400 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/S0014479700012400

Yiling Li, Ping Chen, Zhidan Fu, Kai Luo, Ping Lin, Chao Gao, Shanshan Liu, Tian Pu, Taiwen Yong and Wenyu Yang. 2023. Maize–soybean relay cropping increases soybean yield synergistically by extending the post-anthesis leaf stay-green period and accelerating grain filling. The Crop Journal 11: 1921–30. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cj.2023.05.011 DOI: https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cj.2023.05.011