Feasibility of flower crops under coconut based cropping system in coastal ecosystem of Maharashtra State

Abstract

Field experiment carried out at ICAR-AICRP on palms at Regional Coconut Research Station Bhatye, Dr. B.S. Konkan Krishi Vidyapeeth, Dapoli, Dist. Ratnagiri (MS) during 2013 to 2015 with flower crop combinations of T1- coconut alone (monocrop), T2- coconut + Jasminum sambac, T3- coconut + Jasminum multiflorum, T4- coconut + Lily spp., T5- coconut + Heliconia spp. and T6 - coconut + Michelia champaka, according to two years of data, showed that the lily flower recorded 1683811 numbers of spikes ha-1, Jasminum multiflorum recorded 48656 kg ha-1, Heliconia spp. recorded 96982.5 number of spikes ha-1, Jasminum Sambac recorded 1123.2 kg ha-1 follwed by Michelia champaka with only 12690 number of flowers only. In respect of economics, coconut +Lily spp. system recorded the highest gross return of Rs. 12,19,962/- ha-1 followed by Rs. 7,63,197/- in coconut + Jasminum multiflorum system. Coconut +Heliconia spp. recorded Rs. 6,37,495.25, coconut +Jasminum sambac Rs. 553102.53 and coconut +Michelia champaka the minimum gross return of Rs. 255672.00. The gross income realised in the monocropping of coconut was of Rs. 195300.00. The coconut nut yield realised during 2014-15 in the intercropping garden was 165 nuts palm-1 year-1 whereas in monocropping it was 96 nuts palm-1 year-1.