A. Kumar et al., PRODUCTION POTENTIAL OF RAIN-FED PEARL-MILLET (PENNISETUM GLAUCUM)-CASTOR (RICINUS-COMMUNIS) INTERCROPPING AT DIFFERENT FERTILITY LEVELS, Indian Journal of Agricultural Sciences, 65(5), 1995, pp. 315-322
A field experiment was conducted during the rainy season of 1990 and 1
991 to study the production potential of rainfed pearl millet [Pennise
tum glaucum (L.) R. Br. emend. Stuntz] + castor (Ricinus communis L.)
intercropping at different levels of fertility. Data on castor-seed yi
eld revealed that pearl miller for grain + castor gave better environm
ent for castor to grow than pearl miller for fodder + castor. Sole cas
tor, however. proved best for the individual yield whereas intercroppi
ng of pearl millet for fodder + castor was the best for pearl millet-g
rain-yield equivalent, followed by pearl millet for grain + castor. So
le crop of castor was not found remunerative. Soil-fertility levels im
proved the plant height. dry-matter accumulation, yield attributes and
yield of pearl miller and castor linearly. Application of farmyard ma
nure @ 10 tonnes/ha was found superior to the control only. Applicatio
n of 2 bio-fertilizers, ie Azospirillum and vesicular arbuscular mycor
rhiza, also showed favourable response in dry-matter accumulation and
yield. In terms of pearl millet-grain-equivalent yield and gross retur
n 40 kg N/ha + 8.80 kg P/ha proved statistically superior to 20 kg N/h
a + 4.4 kg P/ha.