Productivity and Profitability of Baby Corn-Legume Intercropping Systems in the Charland Area of Bangladesh

Agricultural production in Bangladesh's Charland (Riverine Island) region is primarily threatened by soil fertility and the use of chemical fertilizers. Baby corn can be interplanted with different leguminous crops to increase fertility while reducing the quantity of synthetic fertilizer needed. A field experiment was carried out at Charpakkimari in the Sherpur district of Bangladesh from November 2018 to March 2019 to examine the performance of several leguminous crops and baby corn cultivated as an intercrop. At row ratios of 2:1, 2:2, and 2:3, respectively, intercropping techniques for baby corn + chickpea, baby corn + pea, baby corn + groundnut, and baby corn + lentil were implemented. Additionally, baby corn, chickpea, pea, groundnut, and lentil were sown as sole crops using a randomized complete block design with three replications. Based on the results, the treatments with a row ratio of 2:1 that were determined to be relatively superior in terms of higher production and profitability were baby corn + chickpea, baby corn + pea, as well as baby corn + chickpea and baby corn + lentil (2:3). Baby corn + pea (2:1) intercropping produced the highest baby corn equivalent yield (6.02 t ha-1), net return (214425 Tk), and benefit cost ratio (2.46), compared to sole baby corn. These results demonstrated that it was more profitable and productive to intercrop baby corn with peas, chickpeas and lentils than to grow baby corn alone.