Fennel (Foeniculum vulgare Mill.) based intercropping for higher system productivity

Abstract

A field experiment on effect of different intercropping ratios on growth, yield and system productivity was conducted at NRCSS, Ajmer (Raj.) during rabi season of 2004-05,2005-06 and 2006-07. The experiment comprising of thirteen treatment viz., sole fennel, sole onion, sole garlic , sole carrot, fennel+ garlic (1:1), fennel+ garlic (1:2), fennel+ garlic (2:2), fennel+ carrot (1:1), fennel+ carrot (1:2),fennel+ carrot (2:2), fennel + onion(1:1), fennel+ onion (1:2) and fennel + onion (2:2) was laid in randomized block design with three replications. The yield of sole crops viz., fennel, carrot, onion and garlic gave the highest economic yield over that obtained with different intercropping ratio. Fennel with all inter crops in 1:1 ratio found superior in respect to, growth, yield attributes and yield of fennel over other ratios under study. Fennel + carrot with all intercropping ratios proved superior over onion. Besides sole cropping, the economic yield of carrot, onion and garlic was recorded higher in intercropping ratio of 1:2 as compared to 1:1 and 2: 2. The highest equivalent yield, net return and BCR was obtained in inter cropping of fennel + carrot with 1:1 ratio followed by 2:2 ratio. Fennel and carrot at all the ratios resulted higher equivalent yield, net return, BCR and LER over fennel intercropped by onion and garlic. Thus, it is inferred that intercropping of fennel and carrot in 1:1 ratio is better for realizing higher system productivity, net return and BCR.