Nutrient requirement of Frenchbean (Phaseolus vulgaris) in potato (Solanum tuberosum)-Frenchbean intercropping system.

A field experiment was conducted at Shimla during 2003-06 to find out the nutrient requirement of Frenchbean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) when intercropped with potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) under 2:2 row ratio in which 2 rows of Frenchbean (paired at 30 cm) were planted at 2 population densities (88 888 plants/ha with 15 cm plant spacing and 1 33 333 plants/ha with 10 cm plant spacing) after every 2 rows of potato planted at 50 cm. Potato tuber yield was not affected since it was supplied with a uniform recommended dose of NPK and farmyard manure in all the treatments. Results revealed that in potato + Frenchbean (2:2) intercropping, Frenchbean required only 2/3 of the recommended NPK and farmyard manure, applied on the basis of their sole crop density in intercropping, irrespective of its planting spacing. The increase in pod yield of Frenchbean under this treatment over control was 1.62 tonnes/ha (38.7%) and 1.78 tonnes/ha (37.0%) at population densities of 88 888 and 1 33 333 plants/ha, respectively. At this level of fertility, Frenchbean with 1 33 333 plants/ha gave 13.4% more pods (0.78 tonnes/ha) than with 88 888 plants/ha. The nutrient balance was also positive as the removal ofN, P and K was 40.6, 31.2 and 44.1%, respectively, with 88 888 plants/ha of Frenchbean and 39.3,27.1 and 42.7%, respectively, with 1 33 333 plants/ha of Frenchbean grown with 2/3 of recommended NPK + farmyard manure. The economics was also favourable for these treatments.