Effect of transpiration suppressants and nutrients under rainfed conditions: An integral view on crop productivity and biological indices in millet/pulses intercropping system

Abstract

Under rainfed condition (650 mm/annum) of India drought of unpredictable intensity and duration is a prevailing feature. Appropriate intercropping combinations and management practices for sustaining crop productivity in such situations needs to be worked out, where monoculture is prevailing. Objectives were to examine the effect of transpiration suppressants and nutrients on sustaining productivity, profitability of pearlmillet/pigeonpea intercropping for realizing maximum nutrients and moisture use efficiency in moisture scarce conditions. Though there was a reduction in yield of component crops under intercropping greatly so for pigeon pea, higher Pearlmillet Equivalent Yield (PEY), land equivalent ratio (LER) value, economics (net returns and B:C ratio) was achieved higher in pearlmillet/pigeonpea intercropping system as compared to their sole cropping. Nutrients and apparent rain water use efficiency (ARUE) was also higher in same cropping system. The yield response of the transpiration suppressants was observed only in limited soil moisture conditions (2009). However, with respect to yield advantage indices, the effect of transpiration suppressants was comparable to control. Over the period of time, 50 kg N + 17.2 kg P ha-1 recorded higher crop performance ratio, ARUE, agronomic and physiological efficiency of N and P over other fertility treatments.