Published online by Cambridge University Press: 27 March 2009
Two potato genotypes, Kufri Sindhuri (KS) and Kufri Chandramukhi (KC), were grown in association with sugarcane (cv. Co 1148) at 1:1 (SP) and 1:2 (SPP) sugarcane (S): potato (P)row arrangements. Growth behaviour and yield of both crops in companionship were compared with those of their sole cropping. Initially, KC accumulated more dry matter in tubers than KS. At harvest, the contribution of tubers to total dry matter was the same in both genotypes. However, KS produced significantly higher absolute tuber yields than KC. Potato row arrangements in sugarcane did not significantly affect the proportion of dry matter in different plant components. However, SPP gave significantly higher tuber yields than SP and was the same as with sole potatoes. Drymatter accumulation, canopy development and yield of sugarcane were not affected significantly by potato row arrangements in the companion cropping system. Sugarcane was unaffected by KC in companion cropping but KS exerted an adverse effect on all the growth characters and yield of sugarcane. Similarly, in sequential cropping, sugarcane yielded significantly less when planted after KS than after KC.