eprintid: 3440
rev_number: 10
eprint_status: archive
userid: 65
dir: disk0/00/00/34/40
datestamp: 2011-10-31 03:16:00
lastmod: 2011-10-31 03:16:00
status_changed: 2011-10-31 03:16:00
type: article
metadata_visibility: show
contact_email: Library-ICRISAT@cgiar.org
item_issues_count: 0
creators_name: Reddy, M S
creators_name: Willey, R W
icrisatcreators_name: Reddy, M S
affiliation: ICRISAT(Patancheru)
country: INDIA
title: Evaluations of Alternate Cropping Systems for Alfisols of the Indian Semi-arid Tropics
ispublished: pub
subjects: s2
full_text_status: restricted
abstract: A three-year experiment examined the possibility of increasing the cropping intensity of a medium-deep Alfisol (red soil) by using sequential, relay, ratoon or intercropping systems. It was found that a short-season mungbean (Vigna radiata) crop could be taken before the commonly-grown castor crop but that castor yields were reduced by the delayed sowing. If the castor was sown after the harvest of mungbean in a sequential system the profits were less than from a sole castor system. Relay-sowing the castor 20 days before the harvest of mungbean gave 9 $US ha−1 greater profit than sole castor, but this is probably not enough to justify the more intensive double crop system. On the other hand a reasonable yield of horsegram (Macrotyloma uniflorum) could be produced after an early pearl millet crop, giving a worthwhile extra profit of 21 $US ha−1 compared with sole pearl millet. Ratooning the sorghum gave ratoon yields that averaged only 14% of the first crop, so this system was not considered suitable for these lighter Alfisols.

Intercropping systems of pearl millet/groundnut, sorghum/pigeonpea and groundnut/pigeonpea gave average yield increases of 24, 47 and 46%, respectively, compared with both component crops grown separately. Compared with growing only the higher value sole crop, increases in profits were 16, 82 and 120 $US ha−1 for the same three systems, respectively. It is concluded that intercropping systems provide the best opportunity for increasing cropping intensity on medium-deep Alfisols.
date: 1985
publication: Experimental Agriculture
volume: 21
publisher: Cambridge University Press
pagerange: 271-280
refereed: TRUE
official_url: http://dx.doi.org/10.1017/S001447970001262X
related_url_url: http://scholar.google.co.in/scholar?hl=en&q=allintitle%3A+Evaluations+of+Alternate+Cropping+Systems+for+Alfisols+of+the+Indian+Semi-arid+Tropics&btnG=Search&as_sdt=0%2C5&as_ylo=&as_vis=0
related_url_type: author
citation:   Reddy, M S and Willey, R W  (1985) Evaluations of Alternate Cropping Systems for Alfisols of the Indian Semi-arid Tropics.  Experimental Agriculture, 21.  pp. 271-280.      
document_url: http://oar.icrisat.org/3440/1/JA_438.pdf