Title: Enhancing nitrogen use efficiency of spring planted sugarcane through insitu residue management of intercropped vegetable cowpea at varying levels of fertlizer nitrogen
Abstract: A field experiment was conducted in spring planted sugarcane based intercropping system including vegetable cowpea during the year 2001-02 and 2002-03 at Research Farm of Indian Institute of Sugarcane Research, Lucknow. The yield of sugarcane intercropped with vegetable cowpea [Vignaunguiculata (L.) Walp.] (69.3 t/ha) and green gram for grain (Phaseolus radiates L.) (70.6 t/ha) was at par to that intercropped with Sesbania for green manuring (69.1 t/ha). However, sugarcane intercropping with vegetable cowpea recorded significantly higher cane equivalent yield (84.5 t/ha) as compared to intercropping of black gram and Sesbania. Sugarcane + cowpea fetched higher income (Rs. 45446/ha) as well as B:C ratio (1:30) as compared to other two intercropping systems. Highest number (115.8 thousand/ha) of taller (305 cm) millable canes were recorded with application of 25% higher dose of nitrogen over recommended dose (150 kg N/ha). The highest above ground (11.43 t/ha) and underground (3.12 t/ha) of biomass was added through the residues of intercropped vegetable cowpea. This inturn added significantly (73.58 kg/ha) to the total nitrogen pool of the soil trough in-situ green manuring besides producing 28.9 q/ha green vegetable pods. The nitrogen use efficiency of sugarcane based inter cropping system was higher at 75% of the recommended dose of nitrogen (150 kg N/ha). The accretion of N was not affected at different levels of applied N to sugarcane. However, the highest above ground biomass occurred at 25% higher dose of fertilizer nitrogen to sugarcane. The intercropping of dual-purpose vegetable cowpea lowered the bulk density of soil (1.38 g/cm3) at the end of sugarcane crop cycle as compared to sole.
Publication Year: 2007
Publication Date: 2007-01-01
Language: en
Type: article
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