Effect of Different Natural Farming Treatments on Growth, Yield and Economics of Pigeonpea + Blackgram Intercropping System in Western U.p.

Abstract

A field experiment was conducted during the kharif season of 2018 at Crop Research Centre (CRC) of Sardar Vallabhbhai Patel University of Agriculture and Technology, Meerut (U.P.) to study the “Effect of different natural farming treatments on growth, yield and economics of pigeon pea + black gram intercropping system in western U.P.". The soil of the experimental field was well drained, sandy loam in texture and slightly alkaline in reaction. It was low in organic carbon and available nitrogen, medium in available phosphorus, potassium and sulphur with an electrical conductivity (1:2.5, soil: water suspension) of 1.7 dS/m.The experiment was carried out in Randomized Block Design with three replications and 16 treatments. Results revealed that the growth parameters and yield attributing characters of pigeonpea and blackgram viz., pods/plant, grains/pod, test weight and grain yield/plant were significantly higher under Beejamrutha + Jeevamrutha + Mulching + Green manure over control and RDF. The Beejamrutha + Jeevamrutha + Mulching + Green manure treatments out yielded (2286 kg ha-1 ) and (920 kg ha-1 ) in pigeonpea. Similar, trend was obtained in blackgram with Beejamrutha + Jeevamrutha + Mulching + Green manure treatment out yield(5.94 g plant-1) over control (3.87 g plant-1). Pigeonpea grown with Beejamrutha + Jeevamrutha + Mulching + Green manure accumulated more total N, P and K (185.22,18.20,and79.98 kg ha-1 respectively) over control and RDF. Similar results for total N, P and K were reported in blackgram with Beejamrutha + Jeevamrutha + Mulching + Green manure (57.60, 9.40 and 33.58 kg ha-1 respectively) over control (26.05,2.57, 18.86 kg ha-1 respectively) and RDF(39.11,4.34,23.03 kg ha-1 respectively). Similar,the Beejamrutha + Jeevamrutha + Mulching + Green manure registered higher protein content 23.64 in pigeonpea over control 22.50 and RDF 23.18.Similar result for protein content 26.8 over control 23.2 and RDF 24.0 observed in blackgram with Beejamrutha + Jeevamrutha + Mulching + Green manure treatment.Beejamrutha + Jeevamrutha + Mulching + Green manure fetched significantly highest gross returns (Rs 49855/ha), net returns (Rs 32955/ha) and Benefit: cost ratio (2.95).