Productivity of fodder ryegrass and chinese cabbage intercropping as influenced by nutrient management

Abstract

The experiment was carried out during the winter season of 2021 and 2022 at the Research Block of Agronomy Section, ICAR-National Dairy Research Institute, Karnal, Haryana (India). Suitable integrated nutrient management practice for ryegrass and Chinese cabbage intercropping was worked out for higher fodder yield and crop growth in the sub-tropical zone having a semi-arid climate. The experiment was conducted in Factorial (RBD) consisting of four planting ratios (RG- sole ryegrass, CC- chinese cabbage, 1RG:1CC- ryegrass + chinese cabbage, 2RG:1CC- ryegrass + chinese cabbage and four nutrient management treatments (NM1-absolute control, NM2-100% RDF, NM3-75% RDF + 25% N through FYM, NM4-75% RDF + 25% N through FYM + PGPR). The highest dry matter accumulation (DMA), crop growth rate (CGR), relative growth rate (RGR), green fodder yield (GFY), and dry fodder yield (DFY) of intercropped with ryegrass and Chinese cabbage were observed when they were grown as sole crops. In the case of nutrient management, growth attributes, GFY, and DFY of intercropped ryegrass and Chinese cabbage were significantly higher with the crop fertilized with NM4- (75% RDF + 25% N through FYM + PGPR) treatment. The intercropping of ryegrass and Chinese cabbage performed better with integrated nutrient management than other treatments.