Inter-cropping and border-cropping of compatible crops in Finger Millet (Eleusine coracana Gaertn.) under garden land conditions

With a view to explore the possibility of developing the most economic and viable intercropping and border-cropping systems with nitrogen management in finger millet, an experiment was conducted at Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore, India during summer season (December—March) under garden land condition. Different inter-crops tested were sorghum, sunflower, lady's finger, onion and cluster beans. The study indicated that intercropping and border-cropping in direct sown finger millet under irrigated condition were possible. The best and most remunerative border-crop as well as inter-crop in finger millet was onion. Application of 90 kg N/ha would be sufficient for such a cropping system in a sandy clay loam soil of medium fertility. Onion and cluster beans exhibited companion effect and sunflower and sorghum exerted competitive effect on growth and production of finger millet.