Productivity and profitability of intercropping garlic with groundnut in the char land of Tangail

Abstract

The experiment was carried out at the farmers’ field of On-Farm Research Division, Bangladesh Agricultural Research Institute (BARI), Tangail during two consecutive years 2019-20 and 2020-21 to find out the suitable intercropping system for increasing crop productivity and profitability of groundnut + garlic intercropping system. The treatments were viz. T₁=groundnut (100%) + one row garlic (33%) in between two rows of groundnut, T₂=groundnut (100%) + two rows of garlic (67%) in between two rows of groundnut, T₃= groundnut (100%) + three rows of garlic (100%) in between two rows of groundnut, T₄= Sole groundnut (100%) and T₅= Sole garlic (100%). Groundnut var. BARI Chinabadam-9 and garlic var. BARI Rashun-2 were used in this trial. The experiment was laid out in a randomized complete block design with six dispersed replications. Among three intercropped treatments, groundnut (100%) + two rows of garlic (67%) within two rows of groundnut showed higher groundnut equivalent yield (5.40 t ha^-1) and garlic equivalent yield (6.48 t ha^-1) which provided the yield advantages of 106 and 26 % over the respective sole crops. The highest land equivalent ratio (1.43), gross return (Tk 3,23,800 ha^-1) and benefit cost ratio (2.93) were achieved in groundnut (100%) + two rows of garlic (67%) within two rows of groundnut compared to other intercropping and sole cropping systems. The higher values of all competition functions were also exhibited in groundnut (100 %) + two rows of garlic (67 %) in between two rows of groundnut (T₂).  Thus, it is stated that two rows of garlic in between two rows of groundnut could be the most productive and profitable combination for the farmers of Tangail regions.

Bangladesh J. Agril. Res. 48(2): 195-208, June 2023