A Akhter
Department of Agronomy, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh-2202, Bangladesh
MP Anwar
Department of Agronomy, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh-2202, Bangladesh
M Begum
Department of Agronomy, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh-2202, Bangladesh
S Yesmin
Department of Agronomy, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh-2202, Bangladesh
MI Rabeya
Department of Agronomy, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh-2202, Bangladesh
R Islam
Department of Seed Science and Technology, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh-2202, Bangladesh
AKMM Islam
Department of Agronomy, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh-2202, Bangladesh
Rice, Leafy vegetable, Intercropping, Fertilizer requirement, Benefit Cost ratio
Agro-ecological zone of Old Brahmaputra Floodplain
Farming System
Rice, Fertilizer
The experiment was carried out at the Agronomy Field Laboratory, Bangladesh Agricultural University, Mymensingh (24°75´ N latitude and 90°50´ E longitude and at an altitude of 18 m), during February to June 2017. The experimental field was medium high land under the agro-ecological zone of Old Brahmaputra Floodplain (AEZ-9). The field was medium high land having well-drained silty loam floodplain soil with pH 6.8.The average air temperature, rainfall (monthly total), relative humidity (monthly average) and sunshine hours (monthly total) during the experimental period ranged from 22.1-28.8°C, 0.20–496.1 mm, 74.7–84.9% and 97.8–191.6 hr., respectively. The experiment included 2 factors; factor A: intercropping systems (5)such as (i) rice (sole), (ii) rice + gimakalmi, (iii) rice + Indian spinach, (iv) rice + red amaranth, (v) rice + jute,and factor B: fertilizer management (3) such as (i) 100% of recommended fertilizer (RF)for rice, (ii) 75% RF, (iii) 125%RF.Sole leafy vegetable plots of gimakalmi, Indian spinach, red amaranth and jute were also maintained only for calculating land equivalent ratio. The experiment was laid out in a factorial randomized complete block design (RCBD) with three replications. The unit plot size was 4.0 m × 4.0 m. A brief description of the crop varieties used in this experiment. The land was dry ploughed followed by harrowing and leveling without puddling to obtain a smooth seedbed. Recommended fertilizer dose were 300, 125, 80, 80 kg ha-1 of urea, triple super phosphate, muriate of potash and gypsum (100%), respectively. All fertilizers except urea were applied as basal dose. Urea was top dressed in three equal splits at 15, 30 and 45 days after sowing (DAS). The plots were fertilized as per treatments. Sprouted rice seeds were sown on 13 February 2017 in 75 cm wide alternate strip in each plot. Red amaranth, jute, gimakalmi, Indian spinach were seeded as intercrop between two rice strips. In rice, spacing was maintained as 15 cm × 15 cm. Jute and red amaranth were broadcast while gimakalmi and Indian spinach were sown in line maintaining 25 cm × 25 cm and 37.5 cm × 15 cm spacing. Seed rate used for jute, gimakalmi, Indian spinach, red amaranth were 8, 9, 12, 2.5 kg ha-1, respectively. Red amaranth and jute seeds were sown twice at the same day of rice sowing and at 35 days after rice sowing. While, gimakalmi and Indian spinach were sown once at the same day of rice sowing. A light irrigation was given just after sowing for proper seed germination and better seedling establishment. Another two irrigation were given at 30 and 60 DAS. After every irrigation excess water was drained out immediately to avoid damage to vegetables. No major disease infestation was noticed either in rice or in vegetables. Only Cup 50 EC was sprayed @20 ml10 L-1 water at 40 DAS to prevent cutworm infestation in vegetables.Grain yield was recorded after harvesting the whole plot and was converted to t ha-1 (14% moisture content).Leafy vegetables were harvested at maturity and fresh weight was taken immediately after harvest and converted to t ha-1. All non-material and material costs constituted the variable cost were considered. Eight working hours of a labor was considered as a man-day, irrigation cost, cost of seed, fertilizer cost etc. were included in variable cost. Gross return was computed by adding market values of grain yield, straw yield and vegetable yield together. The collected data were analyzed using “Analysis of Variance” technique with the help of computer package, MSTAT-C, and the significance of the mean differences was adjudged by the Duncan's Multiple Range Test.
Bangladesh Agron. J. 2019, 22(2): 103-112
Journal