Enhancing sugarcane productivity and sustainability through pulse intercropping: A review

AbstractSugarcane (Saccharum spp.) is a vital commercial crop cultivated for sugar production, but its monoculture leads to soil nutrient depletion and declining productivity. Intercropping sugarcane with pulses presents a sustainable solution by enhancing soil fertility, improving nitrogen fixation, optimizing resource use, and increasing economic returns. This review synthesizes research findings on intercropping sugarcane with pulses such as green gram, black gram, chickpea, pigeon pea, soybean, and lentil across diverse agro-climatic regions, including Tamil Nadu, Punjab, Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh, Uttar Pradesh, and Bihar. Studies indicate that intercropping pulses with sugarcane enhances soil health by increasing nitrogen availability, organic carbon content, and microbial activity. Experiments at the ICAR-Sugarcane Breeding Institute (Coimbatore, Tamil Nadu) reported an 8% increase in sugarcane yield with green gram intercropping, alongside improved soil nitrogen levels. Similarly, Punjab Agricultural University (Ludhiana, Punjab) documented a 10% rise in sugarcane yield with chickpea intercropping, contributing to a 20% boost in soil nitrogen. An ICRISAT study in Maharashtra highlighted a 15% increase in soil organic matter and a 12% improvement in water use efficiency with soybean intercropping. Intercropping also enhances economic viability. Trials at Krishi Vigyan Kendra (Bilaspur, Chhattisgarh) demonstrated an additional profit of 20,000/ha from pigeon pea intercropping, while black gram at Tamil Nadu Agricultural University (TNAU) achieved a land equivalent ratio (LER) of 1.28, reflecting higher productivity. Moreover, intercropping reduced pest incidence, improved soil moisture retention, and minimized soil erosion, making it a climate-resilient strategy. Challenges such as competition for nutrients, labor-intensive management, and mechanization constraints persist. However, selecting short-duration, shade-tolerant pulse varieties, adopting optimized irrigation and fertilization, and integrating mechanization can mitigate these issues. This review underscores the need for further research on region-specific intercropping models, precision farming techniques, and supportive policies to enhance the sustainability of sugarcane-pulse intercropping.