Performance of chittaratha (Alpinia galanga) intercropped under normal and double sucker system of planting banana var. Nendran.

Abstract

Banana is an important fruit crop having great socio-economic significance in India. The spatial arrangement of plants in a plantation is very important and usually involves a choice between physiological efficiency and practical utility. Crop intensification and diversification are the only viable alternatives to promote the agrarian economy. The experiment has been laid out in factorial randomized block design replicated thrice for two consecutive seasons to evaluate the feasibility of intercropping under the two planting patterns of banana – normal planting (single sucker per pit) and double sucker system (two suckers per pit).The intercrops studied were cucumber followed by amaranthus, colocasia and chittaratha along with a control (no intercrop). Results showed that intercropping can be practiced in both systems of planting banana successfully for generating additional income. Growing Chittaratha is more economic than pure crop. Moreover, the incorporation of the intercrop residues had the added advantage of soil nutrient improvement.