Vol. 11, Issue 7 (2022)

Author(s):
Mahendra Parsoya, RS Mehta, Vinod Kumar, Rajveer, Pardeep Kumar and Arvind

Abstract:
A field experiment comprising ten treatments of intercropping systems replicated four times, was conducted in Randomized Block Design during rabi season, 2016-17. Results revealed that sole ajwain exhibited the higher plant height and number of branches plant^-1 at 60, 90 DAS and at harvest as compared to different intercropping system. Further, results showed that sole ajwain gave significantly highest values of yield attributes viz., number of umbels plant^-1, number of umbellate umbel^-1, seeds umbellate^-1, 1000-seed weight, seed yield plant^-1 and seed yield ha^-1 as compared to different intercropping system. Sole french radish, sole Knolkhol and sole fenugreek resulted higher plant population, plant height at harvest, number of leaves plant^-1, diameter of curd and fresh marketable yield as compared to different intercropping systems. Intercropping of ajwain with french radish in 1:1 row ratio resulted significantly higher land equivalent ratio (1.81), ajwain equivalent yield (3274 kg ha^-1), gross return (Rs. 327388 /- ha^-1), net return (Rs.270238/- ha^-1) and BCR (4.72) followed by intercropping of ajwain with french radish in 2:2 paired row ratio. Ajwain + Fenugreek 1:1 and 2:2 recorded significantly higher N, P and K (90.09, 6.92 and 282.52 kg per ha) availability in soil after harvest of crops as compared to other intercropping. Thus, it is inferred that intercropping of ajwain + french radish in 1:1 row ratio is better for realizing higher system productivity and economic returns.