Assessment of sweet corn-redgram cropping system under mango based agri-horti system

A study was carried out with sweet corn-red gram sequence under mango based Agri-horti system with curry leaf as filler crop in light textured marginal lands for better land utilization and getting regular income. A field experiment was carried out in six year old mango orchard with curry leaf as filler crop by intercropping sweetcorn in kharif season and red gram in rabi season for two years 2020-21 and 2021-22 in red sandy loam soil with different nutrient management options viz., T1 - Farmer practice (FYM @ 12 t ha-1), T2 -125% RDN, T3 -100% RDF, T4 -75% RDN + 25% N through FYM, T5 -75% RDN + 25% N through poultry manure, T6 -75% RDN + Azotobacter + PSB/Rhizobium @ 5 kg ha-1 each, T7 -100% RDF (Sole crop without trees). The total system yield was significantly higher with 125% RDF (Sweet corn equivalent yield: 12449 kg ha-1 and curry leaf yield: 8360 kg ha-1) and it was on par with 75% RDN + 25% N through PM (Sweet corn equivalent yield: 11912 kg ha-1 and curry leaf yield: 8280 kg ha-1), 100% RDF (11583 kg ha-1 and curry leaf yield: 8115 kg ha-1) and 75% RDN + 25% N through FYM (11574 kg ha-1 and curry leaf yield: 8140 kg ha-1). Even though yield, gross and net returns were higher in 125% RDF, percent decline of gross returns was less i.e., 3.8% to 6.5% in integrated application of 75% N through inorganic fertilizer and 25% N through organic manure treatments over 125% RDF, replacement of 25% inorganic manure with organic manure is the best treatment in sustainability point of view. Even we can reduce the cost of cultivation, if the organic manure is available with the farmer.