Crop diversification and intensification through groundnut + sweet corn mix/inter cropping systems for enhancing farmers’ income

Abstract

For crop intensification and diversification as a strategy of doubling farmers’ income, a field experiment was conducted during kharif season of 2016 and 2018 at Junagadh (Gujarat, India) to evaluate groundnut (Arachis hypogaea L.) + sweet corn (Zea mays L.var. saccharata Sturt) mix/inter cropping systems on medium black calcareous soil. Groundnut + sweet corn intercropping in row ratio of 1:1 (replacement series), 2:1, 3:1 and paired row in row ratio of 2:1 (additive series) and mix cropping in 90:10 per cent and 80:20 per cent were compared with sole groundnut and sole sweet corn. The pooled results over three years revealed that the paired row (45-75-45 cm) groundnut + sweet corn (2:1) additive intercropping recorded significantly the highest groundnut pod equivalent yield (GPEY)of 2210 kg ha-1 and land equivalent ratio (LER) of 1.42. The next superior treatments in this regard were groundnut + sweet corn (3:1) additive intercropping and groundnut (90%) + sweet corn (10%) replacement mix cropping having PEY of 1997 & 1765 kg ha-1 and LER of 1.32 & 1.12, respectively. Whereas, the sole sweet corn recorded the lowest GPEY (1191 kg ha-1) and groundnut + sweet corn (1:1) replacement intercropping registered the lowest LER (0.97). The paired row (45-75-45 cm) groundnut + sweet corn (2:1) additive intercropping recorded maximum net returns of ‘ 72880 ha-1 and B:C ratio of 2.94, closely followed by groundnut + sweet corn (3:1) additive intercropping and groundnut (90%) + sweet corn (10%) replacement mix cropping, which gave net returns of ‘ 63497 and 55279 ha-1 and B:C ratio of 2.75 and 2.68, respectively.