INTER-CROP, ONION , PRODUCTIVITY, SUMMER CHILLI.
Spices Research Center,BARI, Shibganj, Bogra
The experiment was conducted at the Spices Research Centre, Shibgonj, Bogra during kharif season, ,2011. The experiment was laid out in a randomized complete block design with three replications. Five intercrop combinations viz., chilli+ 1 row of onion in between 2 chilli rows, chilli + 2 rows of onion in between 2 chilli rows, chilli + 3 rows of onion in between 2 chilli rows, chilli + 4 rows of onion in between 2 chilli rows and chilli + 5 rows of onion in between 2 chilli rows along with sole chilli and sole onion were compared. The unit plot size was 3m x 3m. The advance line CO517 for chilli and the cv. BARI- piaz 2 for onionwere used as test crop. The 35 days old seedlings of chilli was planted on 28 April, 2011 maintaining 50cmx50cm spacing. The 43 days old seedlings of onion was planted as an intercrop in between two rows of chilli as mentioned in the treatments, maintaining 10cmx5cm spacing. In addition to 5 t/ha of cow dung, the crop was fertilized with N120 P60 K100 S20 B2 kg/ha. To control chilli mite Vertimec 18EC @ 1.2 ml/L of water was sprayed at 35, 55, and 75 DAP. Similarly, to control Anthracnose of chilli, the crop was sprayed with Tilt 250EC @ 0.5ml/L of water at 65 DAP. The crop onion was harvested on 10 July, 2011 and the chilli was harvested from 20 July to 29 August, 2011. Data on plant height, fruit length, fruit diameter, no. of fruits/plant, unit fruit weight and yield (green) were taken for chilli. Similarly, data on plant height, no. of leaves/ plant, bulb diameter, bulb length, bulb weight/plant and bulb yield were taken for onion.
The yield of chilli was not significantly differed due to different inter crop combinations, however, the highest yield was recorded from sole chilli (16.51 t/ha). The lowest chilli yield (14.92 t/ha) was recorded from chilli+ 5 rows of onion combination. The result indicated that intercropping of onion did not badly hamper the yield of chilli. The highest bulb yield was recorded from sole onion (15.64 t/ha) which differed significantly from other treatments. The highest chilli equivalent yield (20.95 t/ha) was recorded from chilli + 3 rows of onion which was very close to chilli + 4 rows of onion (20.46t/ha). Similarly, the gross return was highest with chilli + 3 rows of onion which was very close to chilli + 4 rows of onion. The highest LER was measured from chilli + 3 rows of onion (1.86) which was very close to chilli + 4 rows of onion (1.84).