Studies on barley based intercropping systems as influenced by integreted nutrient management on root development and consumptive use under moisture scarce condition

Abstract

A field experiment was carried out at Soil Conservation and Water Management Farm of C S Azad University of Agriculture and Technology, Kanpur during rabi seasons of 2017-18 and 2018-19. The experiment comprising nine cropping systems viz. C1: Barley sole, C2: Lentil sole, C3: Chickpea sole, C4: Barley + lentil (2:1), C5: Barley + lentil (4:1), C6: Barley + Chickpea (2:1) and C7: Barley + Chickpea (4:1) and 3 integrated nutrient management viz. N1: RDN, N2: 75% RDN + 25% N through FYM and N3: 75% RDN + 25% N through FYM + culture + PSB in split plot design with three replications keeping cropping systems in main plots and INM in subplots to find out suitable row ratio of barley + lentil/checkpea in intercropping systems under rainfed condition. The results revealed that barley performed better in intercropping than sole cropping. Among different cropping systems, Barley + Chickpea (2:1) in case of integrated nutrient management 75% RDN + 25% N through FYM + culture + PSB exhibited maximum root development during the two years of experimentation.