Study of the Most Suitable Combination of Intercropping Systems of Indian Mustard (Brassica juncea L.) with Chickpea, Lentil, Linseed and Field Pea

Abstract: Intercropping system enhances crop productivity and profitability by growing different species together on the same piece of land in distinct row combinations. Hence, a field experiment was conducted to study the most suitable combination of mustard based intercropping with different crops at students’ instructional farm, C. S. Azad University of Agriculture & Technology, Kanpur (U.P.) during Rabi season 2021-22. The experiment was laid out in Randomized Block Design with nine treatment combinations viz., T1 Sole Mustard, T2 Mustard: Chickpea (1:1), T3 Mustard: Chickpea (2:1), T4 Mustard: Lentil (1:1), T5 Mustard: Lentil (2:1), T6 Mustard: Linseed (1:1), T7 Mustard: Linseed (2:1), T8 Mustard: Field Pea (1:1) and T9 Mustard: Field Pea (2:1) with replicated thrice. The results revealed that the significant impact of intercropping system on the growth, yield attributes, and overall yield of mustard when intercropped with chickpea, lentil, linseed, and pea. Plant population of intercrops showed non-significant differences, but at later stages, a 1:1 ratio consistently led to higher plant populations. Plant height, primary branches, and dry weight were generally higher in the 1:1 ratio compared to the 2:1 ratio in all intercrops. Yield attributes, including the number of pods or capsules and seeds per pod or capsule, favoured the 1:1 ratio. The highest yield was observed in the 1:1 ratio, contrasting with the minimum in the 2:1 ratio of mustard + intercrops. Overall, the 1:1 ratio demonstrated superior performance in terms of growth, yield attributes and yield, emphasizing the importance of intercrop ratio in optimizing crop growth and productivity.