Performance of nutri-rich millets in pigeonpea intercropping system under Northern dry zone of Karnataka

A field experiment was conducted during Kharif 2021 and Kharif 2022 at Krishi Vigyan Kendra, Vijayapura, University of Agricultural Sciences, Dharwad to study the performance of nutri-rich millets in pigeonpea intercropping system in Northern Dry Zone of Karnataka under rainfed condition. The experiment was laid out in randomized block design with thirteen treatments comprising of six nutri-rich millets viz., barnyard millet, kodo millet, little millet, proso millet, browntop millet and teff with pigeonpea 1:2 row proportion and their sole crops replicated thrice. During both the years (2021 and 2022) pooled mean indicated that grain yield was recorded significantly higher in sole barnyard millet (1627 kg ha-1, 1612 kg ha-1 and 1620 kg ha-1, respectively) over intercropped treatments. Among intercropping system, pigeonpea + barnyard millet was noticed higher grain yield (1018 kg ha-1, 989 kg ha-1 and 1004 kg ha-1, respectively) and it was found on par with pigeonpea + kodo millet (957, 932 and 945 kg ha-1, respectively). However, significantly. lower grain yield was recorded in pigeonpea + teff (112, 107 and 110 kg ha-1, respectively). Sole barnyard millet recorded significantly. higher grain yield (1627, 1612 and 1620 kg ha-1, respectively) and stover yield (3276 kg ha-1) when compared to intercropped treatments. Among the intercropped treatments, economics of the systems also showed that pigeonpea + teff was most profitable system in terms of gross return (Rs.118188 ha-1), net return (Rs.118188 ha-1) and B: C ratio (2.63).