THE PERFORMANCE OF CULTIVARS OF PEARL MILLET AND CLUSTERBEAN UNDER SOLE CROPPING AND INTERCROPPING SYSTEMS IN ARID ZONE CONDITIONS IN INDIA

Abstract

Intercropping of pearl millet ( Pennisetum glaucum ) with clusterbean ( Cyamopsis tetragonoloba ) is a common practice in the arid zone of northwestern India. Field experiments were conducted for two years to examine the performance of two contrasting genotypes of each of these crops grown both as sole crops and as intercrops using all possible genotypic combinations of the pearl millet with the clusterbean. The seed yields of both crops were always lower in intercropping than in sole cropping, though the degree of reduction in the seed yield of each intercrop component was influenced greatly by the genotype of its companion crop. The seed yield of both clusterbean genotypes was reduced more when intercropped with the tall and late-maturing pearl millet, MH 179, than with the medium-statured and early-maturing HHB 67. On the other hand, the two clusterbean cultivars had similar effects on intercropped pearl millet. As a result, the highest land equivalent ratios (LERs) were obtained with intercrops containing pearl millet HHB 67 rather than MH 179, while the genotype of clusterbean had little overall effect on LER. The results obtained are discussed in the context of developing cultivars for intercropping.