Enhancing productivity of groundnut based intercropping systems under rainfed conditions of Gujarat

A field experiment was conducted during Kharif season of 2011-12 at Instructional Farm, Department of Agronomy, College of Agriculture, Junagadh Agricultural University, Junagadh to study the production potential and economics of groundnut based intercropping systems under rainfed conditions. The experiment was laid out in randomized block design with thirteen treatments comprising of six intercrops viz., pearl millet, black gram, soybean, cotton, castor and pigeon pea with groundnut in the replacement series of 2:1 row proportion and their sole crops replicated thrice. The productivity in terms of groundnut pod equivalent yield was significantly higher with groundnut + pigeon pea followed by groundnut + castor and groundnut + cotton than sole groundnut and other intercropping systems. The biological efficiency in terms of LER, LEC, ATER and CPR were also significantly recorded maximum values and indicated a modest aggressivity and CR and gave a good value for the product of RCC with groundnut + pigeon pea followed by groundnut + castor and groundnut + cotton. The economics of the systems also indicates that groundnut + pigeon pea was most profitable system in terms of gross return, net return, MAT, B:C ratio and MER followed by groundnut + castor and groundnut + cotton.