Response of sunflower (Heliunthus annuus) and french bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) intercropping to different row ratios and nitrogen levels under rainfed conditions of temperate Kashmir

Abstract

A field experiment was conducted at the research farm of Faculty of Agriculture, SKUAST-K Regional Re- search Station, Wadura in Kashmir during rainy (kharif) season 2002 and 2003, to study the response of sun- . flower (Helianthus annuus L.) and french bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) intercropping to different row ratios (1 :I and 2:2) and nitrogen levels (0, 40, 80 and 120 kglha) under rainfed conditions. lntercropping reduced the val- ues of growth parameters, yield attributes and seed yield of both sunflower and french bean compared with their sole crops. Both the intercroppings recorded significantly higher sunflower-equivalent yield (SEY), net income and benefit: cost ratio than their sole stands. lntercropping of sunflower + french bean under 2:2 row ratio re- corded significantly higher SEY (1,231 kglha), land-equivalent ratio (1.25), net income (Rs 13,138lha) and ben- efit: cost ratio (1.95), and also indicated a modest competitive ratio (2.10:0.48), followed by sunflower + french bean in 1 :I ratio. Both sunflower and french bean in sole and intercropping responded favourably up to 80 kg NI ha only for leaf-area index, dry-matter accumulation, yield attributes, seed yield, N uptake, net income and ben- efit: cost ratio. The interaction effects of the factors showed that mean SEY responded to N application up to 80 kglha in 2:2 row ratio of sunflower+ french bean.