Performance of irrigated monocropped versus intercropped 'Nagpur' mandarin orchards on basalt derived tropical soils 159

Srivastava, A.K.; Huchche, A.D.; Ram, Lallan; Singh, Shyam

Pooled data analysis for intercropped versus monocropped 'Nagpur' mandarin (Citrus reticulata Blanco) orchards showed superiority of monocultured (68.5 kg tree-1) over intercropped (51.4 kg tree-1) orchards. But intercrop specific analysis revealed that citrus orchards with legumes as intercrop (soya bean and gram), produced significantly (P < 0.05) higher fruit yield (72.2 kg tree-1) compared to orchards without intercrops (68.5 kg tree-1). These legume-based intercropped orchards maintained a much higher level of nutrients in leaf [2.35% N, 0.12% P, 2.08% K, 86.5 parts per million (ppm) Fe, 70.6 ppm Mn, 22.2 ppm Cu, and 22.0 ppm Zn] than the orchards without intercrops (2.29% N, 0.13% P, 2.47% K, 79.2 ppm Fe, 63.8 ppm Mn, 21. 7 ppm Cu, and 23.2 ppm Zn). Intercrop specific yield prediction models in relation to leaf nutrient status, were further suggested.