Tuesday, September 11, 2007

Intercropping of cotton with vegetables as the profitable cropping system under rainfed conditions of north Karnataka

Dr. S.S. Hallikeri1, Dr. Y.R. Aladakatti1, Dr. Basanagouda . C. Patil1, and Dr. Shreekant S. Patil2. (1) University of Agricultural Sciences, Dharwad, Karnataka (INDIA), A.R.S. Dharwad Farm, Dharwad , Karnataka, , India, Dharwad, India, (2) UAS, Dharwad, Dharwad Farm, Dharwad, 580 007, India

With an objective to increase profit margin of rainfed farmer, an experiment was conducted at ARS, Dharwad farm, Dharwad, Karnataka, India with introduction of intercropping of different vegetables with cotton.  Mean over four years data on intercropping of cotton with vegetables indicated that yield of cotton was unaffected when intercropped with garlic, potato, coriander and beans as compared to sole cotton. But there was suppression of cotton yields when intercropped with tomato and bhendi. Intercropping of any vegetable with cotton was profitable over sole cotton due to addition of intercrop yield. Among the vegetables coriander, tomato, Bhendi, potato, beans and cluster bean were most remunerative and consistently given higher income with cotton as compared to sole cotton. Economics of intercropping indicated the highest net income with cotton + potato (1:1) (Rs. 20,092/ha) and high cost benefit ratio (2.30) Hence, intercropping of cotton with potato (1:1), tomato (1:1), coriander (1:2) and beans (1:1) found profitable over sole cotton under assured rainfall conditions of Karnataka.