Productivity of maize-legume intercropping systems under rainfed situation

The present experiment was carried out to study the intercropping effect of green gram, black gram, soybean, groundnut and red gram with maize during kharif season of 2009 and 2010. Treatments consisted of sole crop of maize [rows spaced 60 cm apart (M1) and paired rows (30 cm apart) spaced at 90 cm apart (M2)], green gram (GG), black gram (BG), soybean (SB), groundnut (GN), and red gram (RG); intercropping of M1+GG, M1+BG, M1+SB, M1+GN and M1+RG with 1:1 and M2+2GG, M2+2BG, M2+2SB, M2+2GN and M2+2RG with 2:2 row proportions. Maize equivalent yield was always higher in all the intercropping situations as compared to pure stand yield of maize. The highest maize grain yield was obtained with maize + green gram intercropping (2783.11 kg ha-1) in 1:1. The highest maize equivalent yield was observed with maize + red gram (5270.46 kg ha-1) in 2:2 intercropping system. Values of land equivalent ratio, relative value total, relative net return and area time equivalent ratio were greater than unity and differed significantly in between both the groups of 1:1 and 2:2 proportions of intercropping. Highest gross and net return of Rs.55191.60 ha-1 and Rs.39950.30 ha-1 respectively was recorded in maize+red gram (2:2) intercropping.   Key words: Intercropping, maize, land equivalent ratio, area time equivalent ratio, sowing ratio, monetary advantage, net return, equivalent yield, rainfed.