Influence of intercropping and different nutrient levels on growth and growth attributes of finger millet and green gram

Abstract

The field experiment entitled “Performance of finger millet and green gram intercropping under different nutrient levels” was investigated during kharif, 2024 at the Zonal Agricultural Research Station, Shendapark, Kolhapur. The field investigation laid out using factorial randomized block design, consisting three replications and 18 treatment combinations with first factor is intercropping contains C1: Sole finger millet, C2: Finger millet + green gram (4:2), C3: Sole green gram and second factor is nutrient levels contains N1:100% Recommended dose of fertilizer (RDF), N2: 75% RDF + Soil application of Azospirillum @ (2 kg ha-1) and Phosphate solubilizing bacteria @ (2 kg ha-1), N3: 75% RDF + Soil application of Azospirillum (2 kg ha-1) and PSB (2 kg ha-1) + Foliar spray of 2% 19:19:19 @ 15 and 30 DAS, N4: 75% RDF + Soil application of Azospirillum (2 kg ha-1) and PSB (2 kg ha-1) + Foliar spray of Panchagavya 3% @ 15 and 30 DAS, N5: 75% RDF + 25% RDN through FYM, N6: 50% RDF + 50% RDN through FYM. The obtained results showed that the intercropping of finger millet and green gram C2 recorded higher growth attributes viz., plant height, number of tillers, number of branches and dry matter plant-1 for finger millet and green gram. Among the different nutrient levels. N1: 100% RDF recorded highest growth attributes followed by N2: 75% RDF + Soil application of Azospirillum @ (2 kg ha-1) and Phosphate solubilizing bacteria @ (2 kg ha-1) and N3: 75% RDF + Soil application of Azospirillum (2 kg ha-1) and PSB (2 kg ha-1) + Foliar spray of 2% 19:19:19 @ 15 and 30 DAS for both crops. Interaction effect between intercropping and nutrient levels was found significant in plant height, number of branches, dry matter accumulation of both crops.