Analysis of Productivity and Profitability of Sweet Corn + Cowpea Intercropping under Rainfed Condition in NCPZ of Odisha

Abstract

A field experiment on "Planting pattern and nutrient management in rainfed sweet corn + cowpea system" was conducted during the kharif 2019-20 and 2020-21 at Regional Research and Technology Transfer Station, Keonjhar, Odisha. The experiment was laid down in Split plot design with three replications. The experiment was conducted to identify the suitable planting pattern and effect of nutrient management practices for enhancing production potentials of Sweet corn+ Cowpea. The treatments taken in this experiment consists of planting pattern with 3 levels i.e P1 : Sweet corn +Cowpea (1:1) in alternate rows, P2 : Sweet corn +Cowpea (2:2) in alternate paired rows and P3 : Sweet corn +Cowpea (1:1) in the same row and nutrient management practices with seven levels i.e. F1- STBFR to Sweet Corn , F2- Proportionate of STBFR of (Sweet Corn + Cowpea) based on population, F3- STBFR to Sweet Corn + Consortia biofertilizer , F4- 75% STBFR to Sweet Corn + STBFR to Cowpea based on population, F5- 50% STBFR of Sweet Corn + STBFR to Cowpea based on population, F6- 75% STBFR of Sweet Corn + STBFR to Cowpea based on population + Consortia biofertilizer, F7- 50% STBFR of Sweet Corn + STBFR to Cowpea based on population + Consortia biofertilizer. Sweet corn variety 'Sugar 75' and Cowpea variety 'Kashi kanchan' were used as test crops. Observations on yield and yield parameters were recorded before and at harvest. The yield and yield parameters measured in the form of cobs per plant, cob length with husk, cob girth with husk , no of seed rows per cob, cob weight, green cob yield, fresh kernel yield, green fodder yield and harvest index in case of sweet corn and pods per plant, pod length, weight of pod, weight of green pod per plant, fresh pod yield, dry pod yield and dry haulm yield in case of cowpea were recorded. Planting of sweet corn + cowpea (2:2) in alternate paired rows(P2) with application of 75% STBFR of Sweet Corn + STBFR to Cowpea based on population + Consortia bio fertilizer to the maize + cowpea crop (F6) followed by STBFR of sweet corn and cowpea (F2) was superior in terms of both yield and yield parameters.