Evaluation of different fruit crops as intercrop in rubber under south Gujarat agro-climatic conditions
Research Type
Departmental Research
Experiment Background
Rubber tree (Hevea brasiliensis) is a quick growing tall tree acquiring 10-15 metre height. It begins to yield latex in 5-7 years after planting. It requires hot and humid climate with temperature of 25°-35°C and annual rainfall of over 200 cm. India is the third largest natural rubber producing country of the world, next to Thailand and Indonesia, producing about 9 per cent of the global output. The plantation sector with an estimated production of over 631 hundred thousand tons of natural rubber and a projected production of more than one million tons in near future, contributes to the rapid growth of the Indian rubber industry.
During the initial years of establishment of a rubber plantation, the interspaces of rubber receive plenty of sunlight. The lack of vegetative ground cover and absence of shade in the inter rows in the initial years expose the soil to extreme weather conditions and promote the growth of unwanted flora. Inter-row management is therefore important and growing of a legume or short-term intercrops or a combination of both is judicious practice. Small farmers in particular, practice intercropping for deriving short term income. Intercropping when properly done has been found to enhance the growth of rubber.
Intercropping is the practice of growing two or more crops in proximity. The most common goal of intercropping is to produce a greater yield on a given piece of land by making use of resources that would otherwise not be utilized by a single crop. Careful planning is required, taking into account the soil, climate, crops and varieties. It is particularly important not to have crops competing with each other for physical space, nutrients, water or sunlight.
The growing of leguminous crop during the immature phase of rubber cultivation is a widely accepted practice. These crop not only enrich the soil with their capacity to fix atmospheric nitrogen but also conserve the soil as well as suppress the weed growth. Intercropping system is recognized as a potential weed management practice in crops planted at wider row spacing. Rubber being widely spaced crop with slow initial growth and limited crop canopy at initial stage provides opportunity for growing intercrop. Intercrop is a viable agronomic practice for stepping up the production as well as productivity of a system from a unit area during a cropping period.
Experiment Group
Horticulture
Unit Type
(01)RESEARCH UNIT
Unit
(58)AGRICULTURE EXPERIMENTAL STATION (PARIA)
Department
(284)Agriculture Experimental Station Paria
BudgetHead
(325/05014/00)325/12/REG/00693
Objective
To find out the most suitable intercrop in rubber plantation
To find out the nutrient added to the soil by practicing intercrops in young rubber plantation