Abstract

Field experiments conducted from 1982-1983 to 1984-1985 at the Central Tobacco Rc- search Institute, Rajahmundry revealed that tobacco + pigeonpea either 1:1 or 2:1, tobacco + chickpea 1:1 and tobacco+pigeonpea either 1:1 or 2:1, tobacco+chickpea 1:1 and tobacco+mung 1:2 as additive series resulted in cured leaf and total bright leat equivalent (TBLE) production as that of sole tobacco. Nitrogen fertilizer upto 20 kg.ha¹ remarkably increased the cured leaf and bright leaf production over no N. Applied N showed no effect on grain yield of legumes. Intercropping tobacco with chickpea either in 1: 1 or 2:2, pigeonpea in 1:1 or mung in 2:2 pattern maintained similar leaf quality in terms of sugar/nicotine ratios as sole tobacco. Tobacco manufac- turing quality components such as equivalent moisture content (EMC) filling value and pore volume remained unaltered by intercropping with grain legume. Increasing N fertilizer increased the leaf nicotine content and decreased the reducing sugar and sugar:nicotine ratio. Land equiva- lent ratios and the total economic productivity was higher when tobacco was intercropped with pigeonpea in 1:1 or 2:1 pattern.

Keywords: Tobacco, Intercropping, Yield, Tobacco Quality.