Evaluation of Phaseollls vlligaris as intercrop with vegetables for enhancing productivity system and profitability under high hill dry temperate conditions of north-western Himalayas

Abstract

A field experirrtent wasconducted during the summer season of 2000 and 2001 at Highland Agricultural Research and Extension Centre, Kukumseri (Lahaul and Spiti), Himachal Pradesh with the aim to stabilize the farmers income and increased production/unit area. Phaseolus vtl/gariu L., namely rajmash and French bean were evaluated as intercrops with cabbage (Brassica oleracea var. capitata L.), potato (Solanum tuberosuffJ, L.), tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum L. Mill. nom. cons.) andcauliflower (Brassica oleracea var botrytis L.) along with their sole· stands as well as cash crops of the area, ie garden pea (Pisum sativum L.) and carrot (Daucus carota L.). It was found that sale stand of each crop gave higher yield than their respectiveintercropped stands. Tomato intercropped with rajmash gave the maximum yield.and was at par with those of tomat and cabbage with French bean and sole tomato but significantly higher than the major cash crops pea, potato and carrot. These systems also proved more remunerative and gave higher net returns/rupee invested_ Land-equivalentratio of all the intercropping systems were greater than unity indicating greater biological efficiency in utilization ofland, space and time by intercrops and there by yield advantage over the respective sole crops. The intercrops had negative aggrcssivity except rajmash with cabbage indicated poor competitiveness of intercrops.. The relative crowding coefficient was more than unity in almost all the intercropping systems. Thus, vegetable-based intercropping systems resulted in yield and montery gains compared to their sole crop.. An intercropping of rajmash or French bean with tomato and French bean with cabbage gave the highest production and net return which were equally comparable with the sole tomato.