Pigeonpea (Cajanus cajan L.) + Sesame (Sesamum indicum L.) Intercropping System under Variable Crop Geometry and Row Ratios under Rainfed Condition

A field experiment was conducted at the experimental farm, Department of Agronomy, College of Agriculture, Vasantrao Naik Marathwada Krishi Vidyapeeth, Parbhani (M.S. during Kharif 2018 entitled to study the performance of pigeonpea + sesame intercropping system under variable crop geometry and plant population under rainfed condition. The experiment was laid out in randomized block design. There were total eight treatments consisting three row spacing of pigeonpea combined with 2 intra-row spacings and two sole cropping treatments of pigeonpea and sesame each in the recommended spacing of respective crops added. The intercropping system of pigeonpea + sesame crops was tried with row proportion of 1 : 1 in 90 cm x 30 cm, 90 cm x 45 cm, 120 cm x 30 cm, 120 cm x 45 cm spacings and 1 : 2 in 150 cm x 30 cm and 150 cm x 45 cm planting geometry of pigeonpea. two treatments of sole pigeonpea and sesame at 90 cm x 20 cm and 45 cm x 15 cm respectively. Inter row and intra row spacing of sesame in intercropping treatments were 45 cm x 15 cm in T1 and T2, 60 cm x 15 cm in T3 and T4 and 50 cm x 15 cm in T4 and T5. These treatments were replicated thrice. Among all the treatments highest pigeonpea seed yield, straw yield and harvest index was recorded with sole pigeon pea and was followed by pigeon pea +sesame intercropping T1 pigeonpea + sesame in 1 : 1 with pigeonpea at 90 cmx30cm intercropped with sesame at 45x15 cm. The treatment T1 i.e. pigeonpea + sesame in 1 : 1 with pigeonpea at 90 cmx30cm intercropped with sesame at 45x15 cm also recorded highest pigeonpea equivalent yield (1943 kg ha-1), Land equivalent ratio, area time equivalent ratio, aggressivity which was followed by treatment T3 i.e. pigeonpea + sesame in 1 : 1 with pigeonpea at 120 x 30 cm and sesame at 60 x 15 cm and T7 i.e. sole pigeonpea at spacing of 90 cm x 20 cm.