INTERCROPPING OF GREENGRAM (PHASEOLUS-RADIATUS), BLACKGRAM (PHASEOLUS-MUNGO) AND SESAME (SESAMUM-INDICUM) IN PIGEONPEA (CAJANUS-CAJAN) UNDER DIFFERENT SEEDING METHODS

A field experiment was conducted during the rainy season of 1991 to 19 93 at Diphu to study the feasibility of intercropping greengram (Phase olus radiatus L.), blackgram (P. mungo L.) and sesame (Sesamum indicum L.) in pigeonpea [Cajanus cajan (L.) Millsp.] under different seeding methods in the hills slope (20%). Intercropping did not affect the gr ain yield of pigeonpea, but it increased the total productivity in ter ms of pigeonpea equivalent. Pigeonpea alone recorded the lowest pigeon pea equivalent, which was found significantly inferior to the intercro pped treatments. Among the seeding methods evaluated, accommodation of 1 or 2 rows for blackgram and greengram proved better than that of se same. Accommodation of 1 row greengram in normally spaced (75 cm x 30 cm) was found the most remunerative in terms of net return and benefit : cost ratio.