Evaluating Fodder Productivity, Quality Characteristics and Profitability of Sweet Corn Based Vegetable Legume Intercropping System in Karnataka, India

Sweet corn, as a wider-spaced plant, allows some component crops to grow without incurring a financial loss, while sacrificing a lower sweet corn yield in exchange for increased production in terms of land and time. Sweet corn intercropping with vegetable legumes produces a successful system. The objective of the experiment is to evaluate during rabi the effect of different vegetable legumes as intercrops on fodder productivity, quality characteristics and economics of sweet corn. A field experiment was conducted during the rabi season of 2023 at Keladi Shivappa Nayaka University of Agricultural and Horticultural Sciences, Shivamogga, to evaluate the effect of different vegetable legumes as intercrops on fodder productivity, quality characteristics and profitability of sweet corn. It was laid out in a randomised complete block design with ten treatments replicated thrice. The hybrid and varieties used were MITHAS 12 of sweet corn, Arka Komal of French bean, Arka Samruddhi of vegetable cowpea and Hebbal Avre-3 of field bean. The duration of the crops was 80-85 days, 70 days and 70-75 days for sweet corn, French bean and vegetable cowpea and field bean, respectively. Statistical analysis was done by using analysis of variance (ANOVA). The treatments consisted of sweet corn intercropping with French bean, vegetable cowpea and field bean at 2:2 and 3:2 row proportion compared with their sole cropping for their productivity. Among the intercropping systems, sweet corn + field bean (2:2) recorded significantly higher plant height (209.9 cm), leaf area (72.19 dm2 plant-1), dry matter accumulation (180 g plant-1), cob yield (125 q ha-1) and stover yield (179 q ha-1) followed by sweet corn + vegetable cowpea (2:2). Among the intercropping systems, sweet corn + vegetable cowpea (2:2) and sweet corn + field bean (2:2) were better than sole sweet corn. The nitrogen content, crude protein and crude fibre were maximum in sole sweet corn (0.84, 5.25 and 30.74 %, respectively). The neutral detergent fibre and acid detergent fibre were minimum in sweet corn + vegetable cowpea (2:2) (60.50 and 28.06 %, respectively). In terms of the economics of different treatments, the highest net return (3,68,733 ₹. ha-1) and BC ratio (4.06) were recorded with sweet corn + field bean (2:2) intercropping systems. Therefore, sweet corn intercropped with field bean at 2:2 row proportions was found most compatible and remunerative intercropping system.