Agronomic Manipulation on Sustainable Production of Cotton and Soybean Intercropping System

Abstract

Two field experiments, namely Evaluation of Bt cotton and Soybean genotypes newlinein intercropping under different crop geometry and INM to sustain productivity of newlineBt cotton and Soybean intercropping system were conducted on vertisols at Main newlineAgricultural Research Station, University of Agricultural Sciences, Dharwad during newline2015-16 and 2016-17. The experiment I was laid out in randomized complete block newlinedesign in factorial concept with 12 + 4 (control) treatments and two replications. The newlineexperiment II was laid out in randomized complete block design with 20 treatments and newlinethree replications. newlineNeeraja Bt cotton intercropped with JS 9305 soybean in 120 cm row spacing for newlinecotton and 40 cm for soybean recorded significantly higher seed cotton yield and newlinesoybean seed yield. Higher LER, ATER, cotton equivalent yield (CEY), system newlineproductivity index (SPI), net returns and BC ratio were recorded in this treatment. newlineIn INM experiment, higher yield and yield attributes of cotton and soybean newlinewere observed in T3 (150 % RDF for cotton and soybean) which was on par with newlineT2 (125 % RDF for cotton and soybean) and T17 (T1 + Vermicompost 1.25 t ha-1 + newlineGliricidia 2.5 t ha-1). Higher ginning percentage was observed in T18 (T1 + newlineVermicompost 1.25 t ha-1 + Pongamia 2.5 t ha-1) than application of 100 per cent RDF newlinealone to both crops (T1). Soybean quality parameters like oil content and oil yield were newlinesignificantly higher in T17. Higher LER, ATER, CEY, canopy index and SPI were newlineobserved in T3, which was on par with T2. Lower insect and disease incidence were newlineobserved in T17 and T18. Higher net return was observed in T2 and higher BC ratio was newlineobserved in T16 (T1 + Gliricidia 2.5 t ha-1 + Pongamia 2.5 t ha-1) than other treatments newline