Ecology, Environment and Conservation Paper

EFFECT OF DIFFERENT INTERCROPPING SYSTEMS AND LEVELS OF NUTRIENTS APPLIED TO INTERCROPS ON PERIODIC NUTRIENT UPTAKE OF BED PLANTED WHEAT

Madhulika Pandey, Thakar Singh and Rajeev Sikka

Abstract

The field experiments were conducted to study the performance of different intercropping systems with graded levels of nutrients applied to intercrops on periodic nutrient uptake of bed planted wheat, in splitplot design with three replications at the research farm, Department of Agronomy, Punjab Agricultural University, Ludhiana during rabi seasons of 2012-13 and 2013-14. Wheat + spinach intercropping system showed significantly higher value of NPK uptake which was statistically at par with the wheat + fenugreek intercropping system but significantly higher than all other intercropping systems. Canola found to be more aggressive and competitive to wheat than the other component crops in intercropping system and resulted significantly lower value of NPK uptake. Application of 100% recommended dose of nutrients to the intercrops resulted in significantly higher value of NPK uptake by the wheat plant which was statistically at par with the 75% recommended dose of nutrients applied to the intercrops and significantly higher than the 50% recommended dose of nutrients applied to the intercrops and the control plot.