Influence of planting pattern and sulphur levels on yield and quality of castor (Ricinus communis) under eastern Uttar Pradesh condition

Abstract

A field experiment was conducted during the rainy (kharif) season of 2012 and 2013 at Varanasi, Uttar Pradesh, to study the growth, yield and quality parameters of castor (Ricinus communis L.) as influenced by plant- ing pattern and sulphur levels under eastern Uttar Pradesh condition. The soil was clay loam, having pH 7.35, or- ganic carbon 0.37%, available nitrogen 205.1 kg/N/ha, phosphorus 25.2 kg P O /ha and potash 216.2 kg K O/ha. 2 5 2 The treatments consisting of 5 intercropping system, viz. castor + mung bean [(Vigna radiata (L.) R. Wilczek] (1 : 1), castor + mung bean (1 : 2), castor + mung bean (1 : 3), castor + mung bean (2 : 2 paired row) and castor + mung bean (2 : 3 paired row), and 4 levels of sulphur, viz. 0, 20, 40 and 60 kg S/ha were taken in strip design with 3 replications. Intercropping system (castor: mung bean, 1:1 ratio) produced taller plants (49.59 cm) and higher dry-matter (112.27 g/plant) which was at par with castor + mung bean 1:2 ratio, being 44.07 cm and 108.21 g/ plant, respectively, in case of only castor as compared to the other intercropping systems. The sulphur level S 60 and S resulted in statistically similar plant height and dry-matter production but significantly higher than S and 40 0 S treatments. Intercropping system (castor : mung bean in 1:1 ratio) resulted in higher yield attributes of castor 20 and mung bean which was at par with castor + mung bean in 1:2 ratio in case of only castor as compared to other intercropping systems. The sulphur level S and S showed statistically similar values of yield attributes, but sig- 60 40 nificantly higher than S and S . The highest yield of castor (1,718.5 kg/ha) and mung bean (1,234.5 kg/ha) was 0 20 recorded with treatment castor + mung bean (1:1) and 1544 and 1123 kg/ha in castor + mung bean (1:2) respec- tively. The maximum grain yield of castor and mung bean were recorded with S (1,670.5 and 1,204.5 kg/ha), 60 which was statistically similar to S during both the years. Maximum quality parameters of castor and mung bean 40 were recorded with castor + mung bean (1 : 1) which was statistically similar to castor + mung bean (1 : 2) during both the years. In case of sulphur, the maximum quality parameters were observed when sulphur was applied 60 kg/ha in both of castor and mung bean.