Vol. 10, Issue 10 (2021)

Author(s):
Sridhar SM, Subramanian E, Gurusamy A, Kannan P and Sathishkumar A

Abstract:
Roots are essential for plant growth and development because it provides anchorage to the plant and growing substrate, promote water and nutrient uptake from the soil, sense and respond to environmental signals such as biotic and abiotic stresses. Rice has a shallow root system and requires more water to produce better yield. A deep root system is necessary to acquire water and nutrients from the relatively wet deep soil layer in order to achieve the consistent yield under aerobic conditions. A field investigation was carried out during rabi season of 2020-21 at farmer’s field at Periya Mittahalli village, Karimangalam block, Dharmapuri district, Tamil Nadu, India. The experiment was laid out in factorial randomized block design with three replications. The factor I comprised of beds and channel and raised bed system and factor II consists of sole crop of rice, rice + greengram (2:1), rice + blackgram (2:1) and rice + cowpea (2:1). Encouraging results was obtained under rice + pulse intercropping system in aerated condition, with the maximum plant height (59.6 cm), more root length and root shoot ratio was recorded in beds and channel of land configuration. Higher root weight (2.60, 2.34 and 5.22 g plant^-1) and root volume (9.62, 15.69 and 19.51 cc) was register in raised bed configuration. Among the intercropping system, rice alone produced taller plants (71.6 cm), root length (11.29, 16.28 and 20.33 cm), root weight (2.96, 3.88 and 6.07 g plant^-1) and root volume (10.91, 17.04 and 21.48 cc) at active tillering, panicle initiation and harvest than all other intercropping treatments. Rice + blackgram intercropping system recorded the higher rice equivalent yield (6084 Kg ha^-1) and system profitability (147 ₹. ha^-1day^-1).