Author(s): 1S. ADHIKARY, M. K. PANDIT, A. V. V. KOUNDINYA, S. BAIRAGI AND A. DAS

Abstract: The experiment was conducted in lower Gangetic alluvial zone of India at district seed farm (A-B Block), Bidhan Chandra Krishi Viswavidyalaya, Nadia, West Bengal during autumn-winter season, 2012 and 2013. Experiment was conducted with the objectives to study the system productivity, profitability and interpretation of different intercropping systems of baby corn and vegetables. Baby corn was taken as the base crop and it was intercropped with vegetables such as tomato, chilli, brinjal and pea. Significantly highest baby corn equivalent yield (BEY) was exhibited by baby corn + pea (115 q ha-1) followed by baby corn + brinjal (110.5 q ha-1), baby corn + tomato (108.5 q ha-1) however, baby corn + chilli (91.4 q ha-1) was decreased in respect of sole baby corn (103.3 q ha-1). All the intercrop treatments recorded land equivalent ratio (LER) more than 1 and highest LER was observed for baby corn + pea (1.52) intercropping system. Highest benefit cost ratio (B:C) was observed in baby corn + pea (3.66) intercropping followed by baby corn + brinjal (2.78), baby corn + tomato (2.62) and baby corn + chilli (2.40). Highest monetary advantage index (MAI) was found for baby corn + pea (30753.4) intercropping system stating that it was the most profitable among all the intercropping treatments. In respect of relative crowding co-efficient (RCC), total Kt values ranged from 2.87-13.47 suggesting yield advantage through intercropping. Positive aggressivity values of baby corn (Ab ) were showing that baby corn dominated the vegetable intercrops. Higher CRb values (4.65-10.65) than CRv (0.1-0.22) pointed out the higher competitive ability of the baby corn for resources than vegetable intercrops. From this study it was found that baby corn based vegetable intercropping systems were productive and profitable than sole cropping of baby corn and among all the intercropping treatments baby corn + pea intercropping system was established as the most productive and profitable than other systems.

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