Journal ID : AMA-24-02-2022-11164
[This article belongs to Volume - 53, Issue - 03]
Total View : 468

Title : On Farm validation of technology for enhancing the productivity and profitability of maize intercropped with rajmash under high hills of north-western Himalayas.

Abstract :

A field experiment was conducted during kharif 2011 and 2012 at Sartangal farm of regional research horticulture station of SKUAST-Jammu by taking total sixteen treatment combinations with four cropping systems viz., sole maize, sole rajmash, maize + rajmash in 1:1 (1 rows of maize alternating with 1 row of rajmash) and maize + rajmash in 2:1 (2 rows of maize alternating with 1 row of rajmash), and four nutrient management techniques viz., T1=control, T2=100% NPK (RDF, recommended dose of fertilizers N:P2O5:K2O, T3=75% RDF + remaining 25% N through farmyard manure (FYM) T4=50% RDF + remaining 50% N through farmyard manure (FYM). Among cropping system maize + rajmash (1:1) produced highest maize grain equivalent yield (MEY, 7772 kg/ha, net returns (INR 52190/ha), B:C ratio (1.81) and Whereas among nutrient management techniques,75% RDF + 25% N (FYM) produced highest MEY (7681 kg/ha), net returns (INR 52585/ha) and B:C ratio of 1.88. These best experimental results were further validated by conducting five OFTs in farmers field selecting two dominant sites namely Gwari and Sartangal where maize and rajmash were intensively grown to validate the performance with respect to increase productivity and profitability of maize (Bioseed-9621) intercropped with rajmash (local). The results of OFT highlighted that the percent increase in MEY, Net returns, B:C ratio and energy productivity was 46.27, 55.64, 23.83 and 60.86 respectively under new recommendations (One row of maize followed by one row of rajmash with fertilizer dose of 75 kg/ha urea, 68 kg/ha DAP and 25 kg/ha MOP and 3t/ha FYM) over existing recommendations [Mixed cropping using seed rate of 8:1, with fertilizer dose 100 kg/ha urea, 90 kg/ha DAP and 33 kg/ha MOP (Package and Practices)] besides improved soil fertility due to line sowing, use of higher seed rate and use of balanced fertilizer doses in New recommendations. Hence new recommendations increased productivity and profitability of maize intercropped with rajmash thus recommended under high hills of north west Himalayas.

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