Intercropping of upland rice with blackgram [Vigna mungo (L.)]

Abstract

To increase the productivity of fields growing direct-seeded upland rice, which usually gives low yields because of weed competition, unsatisfactory establishment and exposure to intermittent drought, an experiment on intercropping of rice with blackgram was conducted in two seasons under rainfed conditions on a sandy loam soil. Blackgram, when intersown simultaneously in one row in every 30 om wide space left between the stand of 10 cm apart paired rows of rice, reduced the yield of rice by 1-64 t/ha. When one row of blaokgram was intersown, 21 days after sowing of rice (after completing weeding) between the paired rows of rice, rice yield was reduced by only 0-24 t/ha compared with sole cropping of rice with weeding. This system provided mean yields of 2-48 t/ha of rice and 0-95 t/ha of blackgram. The price of blackgram being high, it showed a mean monetary advantage of Rs. 2373/ha over sole cropping of rice. The blackgram reduced the weed population appreciably. INTRODUCTIONIntercropping is an important feature of tropical agriculture. One advantage claimed for this farming system is that it gives an insurance against crop failure. In India, where intercropping is a widespread practice, many crop combinations are used and in most cases a grass and a legume are mixed. Upland direct-seeded rice crops are extensively cultivated in India but the yield of upland rice is usually low because of poor stands, adverse competition from weeds and intermittent drought. Blackgram (another important food crop extensively grown in the uplands of India) under similar condition has good growth, competes with weeds and being deep-rooted suffers less from drought.The present investigation was undertaken to Study the feasibility of intercropping upland rice with blackgram, the growth and yield of rice and blackgram grown as sole crops and as a mixture and the effects on weeds when the blackgram was established 2-3 weeks after the rice was sown or when both the crops were sown at the same time.

Effect of Intercropping on the Yield Components of Rice, Mungbean, Soybean, Peanut and Blackgram

“…Number of seeds/pod: Deferred sown blackgram recorded significantly higher number of seeds per pod over simultaneously sown crop which was found to be statistically at par with sole crop (Table 3). This result supported the finding of SENGUPTA et al (1985).…”

“…The effect of legumes on increasing the number of filled grains/panicle might be due to the effect of complementarity. This result cor-roborated the findings of SENGUPTA et al (1985).…”

Crop Rotation and Intercropping Strategies for Weed Management

“…In India, Sengupta et al (1985) demonstrated intercropping blackgram (Vigna mungo [L.] Hepper) into rice (21 d after planting rice) effectively suppressed weed growth, eliminated one hand weeding, and increased total crop yield and income, as compared to sole-cropped rice. Ali (1988), also working in India, reported that total seed yields of pigeonpea/mungbean (Vigna radiata [L.] R. Wilczek) intercrops without any hand weeding were very close to yield levels obtained from weeded, sole-cropped pigeonpea.…”

‘Multi-cropping’, Intercropping and Adaptation to Variable Environments in Indus South Asia

“…must be grown separately from sawa millet (Echinochloa colona), as the millet is highly competitive and extremely aggressive towards rice (Galinato et al 1999). Vigna mungo is not a successful intercrop with rice as it reduces yields (Sengupta et al 1985), though it can be row intercropped with Sesamum sp., which can also be intercropped with millet, as they all have similar water, fertility, soil, salinity and pH requirements. Sesamum sp.…”