Abstract

Field experiments were conducted at the Department of Agronomy, Tamil Nadu Agricultural University Coimbatore, to study the effect of moisture conservation and nitrogen management practices in fodder sorghum + cowpea intercropping system with different tree species. The treatments included, three tree species (Ailanthus excelsa, Ceiba pentandra and Emblica officinalis) and two moisture conservation practices (tied ridges and flat bed) in main plots and two nitrogen management practices (100 per cent N through fertilizer and 50 percent N through fertilizer and 50 per cent N through goat manure) in sub plots. The results revealed that sorghum + cowpea intercropping with E. officinalis under tied ridges with combined application of 50 per cent N through fertilizer and 50 percent N through goat manure recorded higher DMP, nutrient uptake and straw yield. The gross return, net return and BC ratio were also high under this treatment combination in normal rainfall year.

Keywords: Fodder sorghum, intercropping, nutrient uptake, economics