Competitive relationship between safflower and intercrops as affected by safflower (Carthamus tinctorius L.) based intercropping systems under protective irrigation

Abstract

An experiment was conducted at the Research Farm, Department of Agronomy, Vasantrao Naik Marathwada Krishi Vidyapeeth, Parbhani during rabi seasons of 2016-17 and 2017-18. Sixteen intercropping treatments including sole crops were tested in randomized block design. Safflower crop and intercrops viz., sorghum, wheat, chickpea, lentil and linseed were tested in 1:3 and 2:4 row proportions in replacement series. Safflower variety PBNS-12, sorghum variety Parbhani Moti, wheat variety Trimbak, chickpea variety Akash, lentil variety JL-3 and linseed variety PKVNL-260 were used. Safflower + chickpea (2:4) and safflower + lentil (2:4) intercropping system recorded similar land equivalent ratio during both years which was higher than other treatments. Safflower + sorghum (1:3) intercropping system recorded lowest values for land equivalent ratio. Safflower was more competitive in safflower + wheat (1:3) intercropping system followed by safflower + wheat (2:4) intercropping system. Higher values for area time equivalent ratio were observed in safflower + chickpea (2:4) and safflower + lentil (2:4) intercropping systems. Safflower in all intercropping systems was found to be aggressive except in safflower + sorghum intercropping systems during both the years.