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Intercropping studies with annual crops

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Relation http://oar.icrisat.org/5155/
 
Title Intercropping studies with annual crops
 
Creator Willey, R W
Natarajan, M
Reddy, M S
Rao, M R
Nambiar, P T C
Kannaiyan, J
Bhatnagar, V S
 
Subject Agriculture-Farming, Production, Technology, Economics
 
Description This paper tries to illustrate how beneficial interactions between crops can be
exploited to increase the overall output of a cropping system. Growth studies with
sorghum/pigeonpea and millet/groundnut are described to show how intercropping
systems can achieve much larger yields than sole crops by using environmental resources
more fully over time or more efficiently in space. Data from moisture stress studies are
presented to illustrate that these advantages of intercropping can be even greater under
stress conditions.
Possible nitrogen benefits from legumes in intercropping systems are discussed with
particular reference to a study on maize/groundnut. Weed, pest and disease control are
considered and some effects of a sorghum intercrop on the incidence of pod borer and wilt
disease in pigeonpea are described. Evidence for improved yield stability in intercropping
systems is provided from a review of 94 experiments on sorghum/pigeonpea.
It is emphasized that intercropping is especially beneficial to the small farmer in the
low-input/high-risk environment of the developing areas of the world but some brief
comments are made on its applicability in more developed conditions.
 
Date 1983
 
Type Conference or Workshop Item
PeerReviewed
 
Format application/pdf
 
Language en
 
Rights —
 
Identifier http://oar.icrisat.org/5155/1/0140.pdf
Willey, R W and Natarajan, M and Reddy, M S and Rao, M R and Nambiar, P T C and Kannaiyan, J and Bhatnagar, V S (1983) Intercropping studies with annual crops. In: Better Crops for Food, Ciba Foundation Symposium 97, 14-16 Sept 1982, Pitman, London,Uk.