Nodulation and Yield of Pigeonpea Based Intercropping System as Influenced by Integrated Nutrient Management in Mollisols of the Tarai Region

Abstract

The effect of integrated nutrient management on nodulation and yield of pigeonpea based intercropping system were investigated. A field experiment was carried out during kharif season of 2007 and 2008 at N.E. Borlaug Crop Research Centre, Govind Ballabh Pant University of Agriculture and Technology, Pantnagar, Uttarakhand to assess the effect of three cropping system (pigeonpea sole, pigeonpea + blackgram and pigeonpea + maize), two levels of inoculation [with and without phosphorus solubilizing bacteria (PSB)] and three levels of farm yard manure (0, 2.5 and 5.0 t ha-1) on nodulation and yield of pigeonpea, blackgram and maize. Eighteen treatment combinations were replicated three times in a factorial randomized block design. The soil of experimental site is characterized as upland Mollisols of the Tarai region. Results revealed that intercropping of blackgram with pigeonpea recorded higher values of nodules characters of pigeonpea such as number of nodules per plant, nodule fresh weight, nodule dry weight, nodulation index and yields of pigeonpea and its equivalent over its other counter parts. Similar results were also obtained with PSB-inoculation and FYM @ 5.0 t ha 1 for nodulation and yield of main & inter crop.