Abstract
A field experiment was carried out at the research farm of the Central Institute of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants at Lucknow for two years (March to September) 2001 and 2002 to study the compatibility, productivity and economics of intercropping in menthol mint (Mentha arvensis L. cv.Kosi); vegetable crops; radish (Raphanus sativus L.cv.Japanese white) and cowpea (Vigna unguiculata L. cv. Pusa komal) at 1:1, onion (Allium cepa L. cv.Nasik red) at 1:2, okra (Abelmoschus esculentusL.cv.Arka) at 1:1 and 2:1 and medicinal crop senna (Cassia anguistifolia L. cv,Sona) at 1:1 row ratios. A sole crop of menthol mint, radish, cowpea, onion, okra and senna was also grown for comparison. Intercropping of radish did not affect the production of menthol mint and yielded 27 t ha-1 fresh root valued at Rs 54,000 ha-1 and recorded greatest land use efficiency (LER =1.52). Okra in each row (1:1 row ratio) reduced the mint oil yield by 17 %, improved the net economic return by 80 % and land use efficiency by 41% over sole menthol mint. If maximum menthol mint oil yield with some bonus yield from component crop and moderate net return are to be obtained, radish in each row (1:1 ratio )and okra in alternate row (2:1 ratio ) may be intercropped with menthol mint.
