Biometric and yield response of redgram (Cajanus cajan (L.)) understrip intercropping and land configurations in a rain-fed environment

Strip intercropping is practiced for efficient resource utilization, mechanization and increased productivity per unit area. In India, no studies have evaluated the suitability of strip intercropping system for redgram. The growth and yield performance of redgram with different component crops in strip intercropping remains unknown. To address this knowledge gap, field experimentation was conducted at Institute of Agriculture, TNAU, Kumulur during 2020-21, 2021-22 and 2022-23 using split plot design to explore the redgram-based strip intercropping system and land configurations under rain-fed condition. In this, 3 land configurations and 7 strip intercropping systems were kept as main plot and sub plot treatments with 3 reproductions. On average, strips of blackgram (S1), greengram (S2) and groundnut (S4) intercropped redgram produced higher plant height (32%), leaf area index (8.7%) and dry matter production (138%) over redgram intercropped with cotton strips (S6). Growth functions viz., relative growth rate (RGR), crop growth rate (CGR) and biomass duration (BMD) of redgram were increased in average of 94%, 67% and 42.5% respectively in treatments S1, S2 and S4 over pure redgram (S7). Grain yield of redgram was increased as on average 621 kg/ha in S1,S2 and S4 treatments over redgram yield (286 kg/ha) in S6. S6 gave higher crop equivalent yield (CEY) of 954 kg/ha and 975 kg/ha during 2020-21 and 2021-22 respectively. In 2023-24, S2 produced higher CEY of 1054 kg/ha. From AMMI, it was observed that redgram with blackgram/greengram strip intercropping under compartmental bunding was more stable than any other system.