Sustainable intercropping system of sesame (Sesamum indicum) with pulse and oilseed crops on rice fallow land

A field experiment was conducted during the spring seasons of 1997 and 1998 at Baruipur to evaluate the eonomically and biologically sustainable intercrop association of sesame ( Sesamum indicum L.) with greengram Phaseolus radiatus L.), blackgram (Phaseolus mungo L.), groundnut (Arachis hypogaea L.) and sunflower (Helianthus annus L.) on rice fallow land. Intercropping of groundnut with sesame was found most beneficial to sole stand yield of sesame. Among the intercrop associations, sesame + groundnut under 2 : 1 row arrangement gave the maximum sesame equivalent yield (1 245 kg/ha), and land-equivalent ratio (1.35), product of crowding coefficient (K= 4.58), monetary advantage (Rs 3 550/ha), net return (Rs 5 815/ha), income-equivalent ratio (1.79) and also showed modest competitive ratio (0.42:2.35) and aggressivity factor 0.26). It proved best stand among all the crop association.