MAIZE-LEAFY
VEGETABLES INTERCROPPING IN SOUTHERN
AREAS
OF BANGLADESH
K. N. Islam*,
F. Ahmed, G. N. Hasan, S. Hasna and M. M.
Islam
*Corresponding
author, E-mail: kbd_nazrul@yahoo.com
Abstract
An experiment
was conducted at farmers’ fields of Patuakhali Sadar and Barisal Sadar during
rabi seasons of 2014-15 and 2015-16 to evaluate the performance of maize under
intercropping with different leafy vegetables. The experiment comprised five
treatments namely: T1= Maize + 100% red-amaranth (broadcast), T2=
Maize + 75% red-amaranth (broadcast), T3= Maize + 100% spinach
(broadcast), T4= Maize + 75% spinach (broadcast) and T5=
Sole maize. The intercrops were sown between two rows of maize planted at 60 cm
× 20 cm spacing. Results revealed that reduced maize yield but total
productivity was increased due to additional yield benefit from leafy
vegetables. In both the locations, sole maize produced the highest yields (7.37
t ha-1 at Patuakhali Sadar and 9.27 t ha-1 at Barisal Sadar).
Among the intercropping treatments, the highest maize yields (6.98 t ha-1
at Patuakhali Sadar and 9.07 t ha-1 at Barisal Sadar) were obtained
from T1 and T3. The lowest maize yields (6.65 t ha-1
at Patuakhali Sadar and 7.97 t ha-1 at Barisal Sadar) was recorded
in T4. The highest maize equivalent yield (13.83 t ha-1 at Patuakhali Sadar and 16.08 t ha-1
at Barisal Sadar), gross return (Tk. 276600 ha-1 at Patuakhali Sadar
and Tk. 321600 ha-1 at Barisal Sadar), gross margin (Tk. 198920 ha-1
at Patuakhali Sadar and Tk. 237920 ha-1 at Barisal Sadar)
and BCR (3.56 at
Patuakhali Sadar and 3.84 at Barisal Sadar) were found from T3=
Maize + 100% spinach (broadcast) combination which indicated the advantage of
intercropping over the sole maize cropping.
Key words: Maize, leafy vegetables and intercropping.
Full article: Click here
Read all the articles of Volume 7(1)
