Performance of Medicinal and Aromatic Crops as Intercrops in Coconut Garden under East Coast of Andhra Pradesh

Abstract

An experiment was conducted at Horticultural Research Station, Ambajipeta during 2006-2011 to identify the most suitable intercrop among medicinal and aromatics under coconut. The trial was laid out in June, 2006 with four aromatic crops and one medicinal crop in randomized block design with four replications. The results revealed that the yield of all the medicinal and aromatic plants grown as intercrop were found to be reduced compared to their sole crop yields. The reduction in yield was less in lemon grass (4.5%) followed by citronella (9.3%), palmarosa (10.3%), patchouli (14.7 %) and mango ginger (14.9%). The nut yield of coconut increased with intercropping of medicinal and aromatic plants. Coconut+patchouli intercropping system recorded 55.3% increase in nut yield/palm followed by coconut+palmarosa (43.5%) when compared to monocrop yield. The economic analysis of the cropping system revealed that the highest net returns were recorded in crop combination coconut + patchouli (Rs. 1,43,705/-) with benefit – cost ratio of 2.84 followed by coconut + citronella (Rs.1,08,870/-) with benefit – cost ratio of 2.12 compared to the net returns of Rs. 29,650/- with benefit - cost ratio of 1.60 in monocropping of coconut. Hence, cultivation of patchouli followed by citronella as intercrops in coconut can be recommended to the farmers of Coastal Andhra Pradesh in general and to the East Godavari area in particular.