Hostname: page-component-8448b6f56d-cfpbc Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-04-23T17:45:49.943Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Sorghum-pigeonpea intercropping and the effects of plant population density

2. Resource use

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  27 March 2009

M. Natarajan  and
R. W. Willey
M. Natarajan
Affiliation:
International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT), Patancheru 502 324, A.P., India
R. W. Willey
Affiliation:
International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT), Patancheru 502 324, A.P., India
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Summary

The use of growth resources is examined in an intercropping combination of early sorghum (82 days) and later-maturing pigeonpea (173 days) in a row arrangement of 2 sorghum: 1 pigeonpea.

Prior to sorghum harvest, light interception by the intercrop combination was almost as high as sole sorghum. After sorghum harvest, light interception by the remaining pigeonpea was very poor and it is suggested that pigeonpea yield could be increased with higher plant population density and better plant distribution. Soil water measurements indicated that this would increase the amount of water being transpired through the crop but would not increase the total evapotranspiration demand. Higher nutrient concentrations in the intercrop pigeonpea compared with sole pigeonpea during this post-sorghum period suggested that yield of intercrop pigeonpea was not limited by nutrient stress, though the total uptake of nutrients by both crops was much greater from intercropping than sole cropping.

Type
Research Article
Information
The Journal of Agricultural Science , Volume 95 , Issue 1 , August 1980 , pp. 59 - 65
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1980

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

All India Coordinated Research Project for Dryland Agriculture. (1973). Annual Report of the All India Coordinated Research Project for Dryland Agriculture, 1972–73. Hyderabad, India.Google Scholar
Dalal, R. C. (1974). Effects of intercropping maize with pigeonpea on grain yield and nutrient uptake. Experimental Agriculture 10, 219–224.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Natarajan, M. & Willey, R. W. (1980). Sorghum–pigeonpea intercropping and the effects of plant population density. 1. Growth and yield. Journal of Agricultural Science, Cambridge 95, 51–58.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Rao, M. R., Rego, T. J. & Willey, R. W. (1977). Plant population and spatial arrangement effects on monocrops and intercrops in rainfed areas. Seminar on Dry Farming, Institute of Agricultural Technologists, Bangalore, India. 04 16.Google Scholar
Shelke, V. B. & Krishnamoorthy, Ch. (1978). Studies on crop geometry in dryland intercrop systems. Proceedings of the National Symposium on Intercropping of Pulse Crops, I.A.R.I., New Delhi, 07 17–19.Google Scholar
Singh, S. P. (1979). Intercropping studies in sorghum. International Intercropping Workshop, ICRISAT, Hyderabad, India. 01 10–13 (In the Press).Google Scholar
Szeicz, G., Monteith, J. C. & Dos Santos, J. M. (1964). Tube solarimeter to measure radiation among plants. Journal of Applied Ecology 1, 169–174.CrossRefGoogle Scholar