Performance of ginger as intercrop in coconut plantation with organic mulches and the effect of intercropping on the main crop.
Ghosh D. K.
Author Affiliation: AICRP on Palms, Dept. of Spices and Plantation Crops Bidhan Chandra Krishi Viswavidyalaya, Kalyani - 741 235, Nadia, West Bengal, India.
Indian Coconut Journal 51 : 20-24
Abstract : An experiment was conducted to study the efficacy of different organic mulching in ginger (Zingiber officinale L) var Gorubathan as inter crop in a 21 yrs old coconut (cv.-ECT) garden at H. R. S. Mondouri, BCKV, WB for two years 2001 and 2002 in RBD with three replications. Nine different cheap and easily available mulches and control ie. without mulching was taken. Significant difference on growth and yield parameters except clump length were observed. Maximum plant height (116.12 cm) was observed under paddy straw followed by water hyacinth (111.66 cm). The plants raised with paddy straw mulch recorded maximum tiller number (17.66), maximum leaf number per clump (272.4) with maximum leaf length (23.26 cm) and leaf breadth (2.68 cm). It was observed that highest clump weight (288.33 g) with maximum length (21.53 cm) and breadth (13.60 cm) were obtained from the plants under paddy straw mulch. The highest yield per hectare (28.70 t/ha) was obtained under paddy straw mulching plants followed by composted coir pith (27.60 t/ha) and water hyacinth (27.40 t/ha) as compared to lowest yield per hectare (15.3 t/ha) with control. The net return/ha from intercrop was highest in case of straw mulch Rs. 132400/- with a maximum B:C (Benefit:Cost) ratio of 1.36. Nut yield during the experimental period increased by 7 (10.61%) and 3 (4.62%), over initial in intercropping and monocropping block respectively. It can be concluded that under normal package of practices, planting of ginger with paddy straw mulch, as intercrop in coconut plantation was the best for better growth and higher yield and the companion crop in the coconut garden did not affect the yield of main crop but increased the productivity.