Evaluating the Performance of Direct Seeded Rice in Different Intercropping Systems under Strip Plantation

In a field study, the growth, grain yield and economic traits were studied under different intercropping systems in direct seeded rice under strip plantation at the University of Agriculture, Faisalabad for two consecutive years. The intercropping systems comprised rice alone, rice + maize, rice + sesbania, rice + mungbean, rice + ricebean, rice + cowpea and rice + pigeonpea. Rice was seeded in 75 cm spaced 4-row strips (15/75 cm), while the intercrops as forage were seeded on the vacant spaces between the rice strips. The results revealed that dry matter of rice was decreased substantially due to intercropping of different forage legumes and non-legumes as compared to sole cropping of rice. Rice growth was more suppressed with a sesbania companion crop than with maize because of relatively thick shading effect of sesbania due to its vigorous vegetative growth rate. The results also revealed that rice grain yield was decreased to a significant level by forage intercrops compared to monocropped rice, which varied from 10.94 to 25.87%, with the maximum (25.87%) by sesbania against the minimum (10.94%) by maize intercrop. Among the intercrops, maize grown in association with rice produced significantly the highest forage yield (40.70 t ha-1). In terms of total rice grain yield equivalent (TRGYE), the highest TRGYE (6.45 t ha-1) was recorded for rice + forage maize intercropping system. Similarly the net field benefits obtained from different intercropping systems were considerably higher than the sole cropping of rice. The maximum net benefit of Rs. 42325 ha-1 was recorded for rice + maize, which is 37.32% more than sole rice. The dominance analysis showed that rice + maize, rice + cowpea and rice+pigeonpea intercropping systems are more profitable than growing rice alone and other intercropping systems. According to marginal rate of return, the highest MMR (2244%) was realized from rice + forage maize intercropping system followed by rice+cowpea (158%) against rice alone. It was also inferred from all sensitivity analysis options that rice+maize and rice+cowpea intercropping systems were economical and viable against sole rice. © 2010 Friends Science Publishers