Author(s):

Parimaladevi C, Ramanathan SP, Senthil Kumar N and Suresh S

Abstract: An experiment was conducted at Agricultural College and Research Institute, Killikulam, Tuticorin, Tamil Nadu, during the rabi season of 2018-19 to evolve the most profitable maize based intercropping systems in additive series with 1:1 and 2:2 row proportion. Maize with five intercrops viz., black gram (Vigna mungo L.), green gram (Vigna radiata L.), vegetable cowpea (Vigna unguiculata L.), sesame (Sesamum indicum L.) and groundnut (Arachis hypogaea L.) were tested in both row ratios. The results indicated during at intercropping enhanced the returns to farmers compared to sole crop. The highest maize grain yield (6830 kg ha^-1) and maize equivalent yield (9688 kg ha^-1) were recorded in maize + vegetable cowpea (2:2) intercropping system during rabi 2018-19. It was followed by maize + black gram (2:2). The values of all the competition functions were higher in maize + vegetable cowpea in 2:2 row ratio. This intercropping system recorded higher LER, LEC, IA, ATER and SPI of 1.53, 0.52, +13.86, 1.23 and 10.25 respectively. The highest gross return ( ₹ .1,35,330), net return (₹ .94,842) and B:C (3.34) ratio were recorded in maize + vegetable cowpea (2:2) intercropping system adopted in Thamirabarani basin of Tamil Nadu.

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