Assessment of planting pattern and land configuration on productivity of groundnut + sesame intercropping system under rainfed condition

Abstract

A field experiment was conducted during kharif season of 2010-2015 for five years at Oilseeds Research Station, Jalgaon, to find out the suitable planting pattern and land configuration in groundnut + sesame intercropping system. The experiment was conducted on clay textured soil low in available nitrogen (196 kg ha -1 ), medium in phosphorus (17.6 kg ha -1 ) and high in potash (604 kg ha -1 ) with slightly alkaline in reaction having pH 8.20. The experiment conducted in randomized block design having fourteen treatment combinations replicated thrice. The treatment consists of sole groundnut and sesame at recommended spacing, sole crops with skip row in 2:1, 3:1 and 4:1 row proportions, intercropping of groundnut + sesame in 2:1, 3:1 and 4:1 row proportions and intercropping of groundnut + sesame in 2:1, 3:1 and 4:1 row proportions with skip row after each intercrop combination. The openings of furrow in every skip row were done after 30 days after sowing. Among different intercropping of groundnut + sesame in 4:1 row proportions gave significantly higher groundnut equivalent yield (1986 kg ha -1 ), land equivalent ratio (1.30), net returns (Rs.54768 ha -1 ) and B: C ratio 2.54 followed by groundnut + sesame in 3:1 row proportion recorded groundnut equivalent yield (1950 kg ha -1 ), land equivalent ratio (1.28), net returns (Rs.53560 ha -1 ) and B: C ratio 2.52. Also the moisture conservation technique of furrow opening shows significant results in intercropping combinations as well as in sole cropping of groundnut and Sesame.