Impact of organic management practices on productivity, soil quality and weed dynamics in maize and vegetable intercropping systems under rainfed conditions

The field experiment was carried out at the Research Farm of AICRP for Dryland Agriculture, Phulbani, Odisha, India, during four rainy seasons from 2016 to 2019, using a split plot design. Four cropping systems: sole maize (<i>Zea mays</i>), maize + runner bean (<i>Phaseolus coccineus)</i> (2:2), maize + cowpea (<i>Vigna unguiculata</i>) (2:2) and maize + bitter gourd (<i>Momordica charantia</i> Mizo.) (2:1) were applied in the main-plots and three organic nutrient management regimes: FYM at 10 t ha⁻¹ (N₁), FYM at 10 t ha⁻¹ + vermicompost at 2 t ha⁻¹ (N₂) and FYM at 10 t ha⁻¹ + vermicompost at 2 t ha⁻¹ + pot manure (N₃) were applied in the sub-plots. The study revealed that maize + cowpea and maize + runner bean were the best performing cropping systems, resulting in higher weed smothering efficiency (WSE), B:C ratio, rainwater use efficiency (RWUE) and improved soil quality. Similarly, N₃ was the best organic nutrient management regime with higher growth and yield parameters, net return, RWUE, energy use efficiency, positive nutrient balance, enhanced productivity and sustainability of the system, and with additional pest control efficacy. Hence, the cultivation of maize + cowpea and maize + runner bean with FYM at 10 t ha⁻¹ + vermicompost at t ha⁻¹ + pot manure was recommended for small and marginal farmers during the rainy season in rainfed conditions.