Bio-economic evaluation of maize + urdbean/mungbean intercropping systems under rainfed conditions of central Uttar Pradesh

A field experiment was carried out for two consecutive kharif seasons of 2002 and 2003 at Kanpur to find out the most productive, biologically efficient and economically viable intercropping system of maize (Zea mays) with urdbean [Vigna mungo (L.) Hepper] or mungbean [Vigna radiata (L.) Wilczek] alone or in combinations under rainfed conditions of central Uttar Pradesh. All the intercropping combinations significantly improved the yield of maize compared to its sole cropping. Uniform row planting recorded the highest yield of maize as well as production efficiency over paired row planting. Among intercropping systems, treatments having mungbean as intercrop registered higher yield of maize as well as total productivity. Maize in uniform rows with intercrop mungbean under 1:2 row ratio gave the highest maize-equivalent yield (5314 kg/ha) and production efficiency (60.39 kg/ha/day). Intercropping of two rows of both urdbean and mungbean with maize in uniform rows under 1:2 row ratio proved advantageous with higher land equivalent ratio (LER), land equivalent coefficient (LEC) and area-time equivalent ratio (ATER). Maize in uniform row + mungbean in 1:2 row ratio was the most productive and remunerative intercropping system with the highest maize-equivalent yield (5314 kg/ha), net returns (Rs. 12935/ha), benefit: cost ratio (1.72) and LER (1.91) followed by maize in uniform row + urdbean in 1:2 row ratio.