Effect of young tea (Camellia sinensis (L.) O.Kuntze) on arecanut yield in intercropping system

Experiment was laid out in Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with five treatments and four replications, spacing of arecanut was followed 2.70 m X 2.70 m in both intercropping with tea and sole crop, experiment was carried out in the Department of Plantation Crops and Processing, Faculty of Horticulture, Uttar Banga Krishi Viswavidyalaya, Pundibari, Cooch Behar, West Bengal, India, work was done during June 2016 to May 2017, treatments were like T1(Arecanut + Tea (Control)), T2(Arecanut +Tea (FYM@ 2.0kg+1/2 RDF)), T3(Arecanut +Tea (VC@ 1.0kg+1/2RDF)), T4(Arecanut + Tea(FYM@2.0kg+RDF)), T5( Arecanut +Tea (VC@1.0kg+RDF)). In case of arecanut, fertilizers were applied in both inter cropping with tea and sole crop of arecanut given recommended dose of fertilizers i.e., NPK @ 100:40:140 g/palm/year. The experiment results showed positive effect of tea growing as inter crop in arecanut garden, where as inter cropping of arecanut with tea showed yield difference when compared with arecanut sole crop. However among the treatments T5 (Arecanut + Tea ((VC@1.0kg+RDF)) recorded maximum arecanut yield, whereas minimum arecanut yield was recorded in treatment T1 (Arecanut+ Tea (control)). When sole and intercrop yields were compared yield advantage was noticed in intercropped with tea due to congenial microclimatic conditions in arecanut based cropping system, improved microbial activity and soil fertility.