Investigations on nutrient management and planting geometry in compion cropping of sunflower Helianthus annuus L and ashwagandha Withania somnifera Dunal

Abstract

Field experiments were conducted to find out suitable row proportion and nutrient newlinemanagement in sunflower and ashwagandha intercropping system at Regional Agricultural newlineResearch Station, Raichur, UAS, Dharwad during late kharif season of 2004 and 2005 under newlinerainfed condition. The experiments were conducted on medium black soil with a pH of 8.3, newlinelow in available nitrogen 226 kg ha-1, medium in phosphorus 24.8 kg ha-1 and high in newlinepotassium 412 kg ha-1. The experiments were laid out in randomized block design. newlineIn the experiment on effect of row proportions and seed rate levels of ashwagandha, newlineintercropped sunflower recorded on par seed yield (1223 kg ha-1) with that of sole sunflower newline(1332 kg ha-1). Among various row proportions studied, the seed yield (1273 kg ha-1) newlineproduced under 1:6 row proportion was significantly higher over the seed yield (1132 kg ha-1) newlinerecorded under 1:3 row proportion. The seed yield obtained with 1:4, 1:5 and 1:7 were on par newlinewith 1:6 row proportions. These row proportions also resulted in higher growth and yield newlinecomponents of sunflower. With respect to ashwagandha, the dry root yield obtained with sole newlinecrop of ashwagandha was 34 per cent higher than the ashwagandha intercropped with newlinesunflower. Among row proportions, the dry root yield produced under 1:6 (593 kg ha-1) and newline1:7 (609 kg ha-1) row proportion was 25 and 28 per cent higher than the dry root yield newlineobtained with 1:3 row proportion. The higher net returns were also realized under 1:6 (Rs. newline31,425 ha-1) and 1:7 (Rs. 31,694 ha-1) when compared to 1:3 (Rs. 24,367 newlineha-1) and 1:4 (Rs. 25,504 ha-1) row proportions. The intercrop seed rate levels did not newlineinfluence seed yield of sunflower but significantly influenced the dry root yield of newlineashwagandha. The sunflower intercropped with 100 per cent seed rate of ashwagandha newlinerecorded significantly higher dry root yield than with 50 per cent seed rate. newlineAnother study was focused on nutrient management in companion cropping of newlinesunflower and ashwagandha. The results revealed that the seed yield