Abstract

Field experiments were conducted at Tamil Nadu Agricultural University, Coimbatore to evaluate the influence of irrigation regimes and comrade cropping on biochemical composition and yield of cassava, groundnut and sesame. Frequent and adequate irrigation at 0.45 or 0.6 IW/CPE ratio increased the starch and total sugar content of cassava and also its tuber yield. The crude protein content of groundnut was significantly low in 0. IW/CPE ratio while its seed yield was maximum at this irrigation regime. The oil content of sesame was maximum at 0.6 IW/CPE ratio where as the seed yield was highest at optimum irrigation regime of 0.45 IW/CPE ratio. Comrade cropping of cassava with either groundnut or sesame did not significantly influence the biochemical composition of any of these crops. The yield of cassava was not affected when revised as comrade crop with groundnut but was drastically reduced when raised with sesame.

Keywords: Irrigation regimes, comrade cropping, biochemical composition