INTER CROPPING ON GROWTH, PRODUCTIVITY AND ECONOMICSOF KHARIF CASTOR IN YSR KADAPA DISTRICT OF ANDHRAPRADESH, INDIAE. Aruna and V. ChandrikaAbstract A field experiment was conducted at Agricultural Research Station, Utukur, YSR kadapa district of AndhraPradesh during rainy season of 2020 to study the performance of different intercrops in castor (Ricinuscommunis L.). The treatments were sole castor, castor + groundnut (1:3), castor + foxtail millet (1:3), castor +greengram (1:3), paired row of castor + groundnut (2:4), paired row of castor + foxtail millet (2:4), pairedrow of castor + greengram (2:4) and sole crops of groundnut, foxtail millet and greengram. Furrows wereopened with inter row spacing of 90 cm and seed was planted at 60 cm for sole castor and 1:3 row proportionof castor intercropping systems. For paired row system of planting, two rows of castor were spaced at 60cm with an inter row space of 120 cm between two pairs. Three rows of inter crops were sown in betweentwo rows of castor and four rows of inter crops in between two pairs of castor (120 cm). From the study itcan be concluded that paired row system of castor intercropped with foxtail millet in 2:4 row proportiongave significantly highest castor equivalent yield (2267 kg ha-1) closely followed by castor intercroppedwith greengram in 2:4 row proportion. Thus, 4 rows of foxtail millet intercropped in paired rows of castor(60/120 x 60 cm) is beneficial in maximizing the productivity and profitability under rainfed conditions. |