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Preliminary Studies of Intercropping Combinations Based on Pigeonpea or Sorghum

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  03 October 2008

M. R. Rao
Affiliation:
International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT), Patancheru P.O. 502 34L, A.P., India
R. W. Willey
Affiliation:
International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT), Patancheru P.O. 502 34L, A.P., India

Summary

Various intercrops were examined in an alternate row pattern with pigeonpea or sorghum on both Alfisol (red soil) and Vertisol (black soil). The slow-establishing and later-maturing pigeonpea combined well with earlier cereals and legumes to give very large yield advantages as measured by the Land Equivalent Ratio. In the pigeonpea/cereal combinations, the earlier the cereal the bigger the yield advantage tended to be, attributed to improved use of resources over time as the difference in maturity periods of the component crops increased. Sorghum was generally more competitive than pigeonpea and intercropping advantages tended to be less. But even where there was little difference in maturity periods of the component crops, both sorghum/legume and sorghum/cereal combinations gave substantial and statistically significant advantages, suggesting that improved ‘spatial’ use of resources was also important.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1980

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References

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