EFFECT OF SPATIAL ARRANGEMENT ON PERFORMANCE OF PALMAROSA (CYMBOPOGONMARTINI VAR MOTIA) - PIGEONPEA (CAJANUS-CAJAN) INTERCROPPING ON A BLACK COTTON SOIL (VERTISOL)

Higher dry matter of palmarosa [Cymbopogon martini (Roxb.) Wats. var, motia Burk.] and pigeonpea [Cajanus cajan (L.) Millsp.] and higher yie ld of the essential oil of palmarosa were obtained during 1989, 1990 a nd in pooled data. Higher total tonnage was recorded from intercroppin g of pigeonpea in the intermittent (alternate) rows parallel to palmar osa. This spatial intercropping system always resulted in higher oil-y ield equivalent of palmarosa over other systems. This system resulted in higher income-equivalent ratio (IER 1.17), besides higher land-equi valent ratio (LER 1.4) and provided 40% higher biological yields than the monoculture of component crops as well as 20% extra yield compared with the other intercropping systems. Sowing of pigeonpea in alternat e rows parallel to palmarosa proved most efficient and economic, as it provided higher economic returns, bonus income and monetary advantage . The oil content and quality in terms of total geraniols of palmarosa were not adversely affected by adoption of intercropping.