Effect of intercropping on growth, yield and profitability of sorghum, pearl millet and cowpea

Green forage availability is very important to maintain livestock health and productivity and this is particularly essential in dairy entrepreneurship where consistent and regular supply of green fodder is imperative to sustain the milk production. Green herbage in addition to energy also provides vitamins, minerals with better dry matter digestibility (Surve et al., 2012). The field experiment was conducted at research farm, Bihar Agricultural University, Sabour, Bhagalpur, Bihar during kharif season of the year 2019 to study the effects of cereal fodder based cowpea intercropping. The soil of the experimental field was loamy in nature and medium in organic carbon (0.54 %), low in available nitrogen (172.84 kg/ha), available phosphorus (28.56 kg/ha) and available potassium (161.34 kg/ha) and neutral reaction. The experiment was laid out in a Randomized Block Design (RBD) design consisting of 11 treatments viz. T1- sole sorghum, T2- sole pearl millet, T3- sole cowpea, T4- sorghum + cowpea (1:1), T5- sorghum + cowpea (1:2), T6- sorghum + cowpea (2:1), T7- sorghum + cowpea (2:2), T8- Pearlmillet + Cowpea (1:1), T9- Pearlmillet + Cowpea (1:2), T10- Pearlmillet + Cowpea (2:1) and T11- Pearlmillet + Cowpea (2:2) row ratio. Within various treatments of intercropping, it was found that intercropping of sorghum with cowpea (2:1 row ratio) had higher green fodder (490.0 qh-1) and dry fodder yield (103.3 qh-1), sorghum equivalent yield, net returns (Rs. 55,597 ha-1) and benefit cost ratio (BC ratio) (2.30). Intercropping of sorghum and cowpea with 2:1 row ratio was found economically viable with higher green fodder yield and net returns.