Back to Contents

Pak. J. Bot., 45(2): 401-406, 2013.

FREE FULL TEXT PDF

EFFECT OF INTERCROPPING CEREALS AND LENTIL IN SUGAR BEET ON YIELD AND MONETARY BENEFITS

M. U. USMANIKHAIL¹*, S.D. TUNIO¹, G.H. JAMRO¹, F.C. OAD¹, SYED WASEEM UL HASSAN¹, Q.D.CHACHAR¹ AND M. ALI KHANZADA¹

Abstract: Field trials were carried out at Sugarcane Section, Agriculture Research Institute, Tandojam, Pakistan during 2007-2008 and 2008-2009 to study the impact of intercropping sugar beet with wheat and barley (cereal crops) and lentil. For this purpose three sugar beet varieties viz., Kaweterma, Aura and Pamela and four intercropping systems (sugar beet sole, sugar beet + wheat, sugar beet + barley, and sugar beet + lentil) were used. Sugar beet varieties planted as sole showed significantly higher values of all traits. Among the tested varieties, sole planting of sugar beet variety Kaweterma showed maximum leaf length, leaf area, leaves plant^-1, vertical diameter of beet, horizontal diameter of beet, beet root weight, beet yield, total dry matter, purity, Pol, brix, sugar recovery, N uptake and P uptake followed by Aura and Pamela when planted as sole. The intercropping of sugar beet with lentil produced second lowest values than sugar beet sole planting. However, wheat and barley intercropping produced minimum values of sugar beet. Maximum monetary benefits like higher gross revenue, input: output ratio, cost: benefit ratio and net returns were recorded when lentil crop was intercropped with sugar beet variety Kaweterma. It is concluded that sugar beet yields and consequently the monetary benefits were also higher in lentil intercropping as compared to cereals intercropping system.

¹Sindh Agriculture University, Tandojam

*Corresponding author: musman_ari@yahoo.com