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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
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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

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References

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