Performance of pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum)+clusterbean (Cyamopsis tetragonoloba) intercropping systems in arid western zone of Rajasthan

A field experiment was conducted during kharif 2010 at Agronomy Farm, College of Agriculture, Bikaner. The results showed that maximum tillers/plant and effective tillers/plant were recorded in 60 cm sole pearl millet followed by 1:7, 1:3 and 2:2 row ratio in pearl millet+clusterbean intercropping. There was no significant effect found on different treatments i. e. plant height, earhead length, grain weight/earhead, test weight and harvest index of pearl millet. Significantly higher grain, stover, biological yield of pearl millet was recorded with 30 cm sole cropping but statistically at par with 40 and 60 cm sole cropping and 7:1 and 3:1 row ratio. In clusterbean, significantly higher branches/plant were obtained in sole clusterbean except 1:3, 1:7 and 5:3 row ratio treatments, while significantly higher pods/plant and number of seeds/pod were obtained in sole clusterbean compared to 6:2, 7:1 and 2:1 row ratios and consequently recorded significantly highest mean grain, straw and biological yield compared to all the treatments but remained at par with 1:7 row ratio. Sole pearl millet recorded significantly higher N and P uptake but remained at par with 7:1, 3:1, 5:3 and 6:2 row ratio, respectively. In total, sole pearl millet recorded significantly higher N and P uptake which was statistically at par with row ratio of 7:1 and 3:1. The intercropping of pearl millet+clusterbean at 1:7 row ratio recorded maximum pearl millet equivalent yield and land equivalent ratio (LER) followed by 4:4, 2:6 and 3:5 row ratios. From economic point of view, mean highest net return was obtained in 1:7 row ratio but statistically at par with 4:4, 3:5 and 2:6 row ratios but significantly higher over 2:2, 7:1 and 2:1 row ratio treatments