Mulch and Irrigation Effects on Growth and Water Use of Barley, Lentil and Linseed Grown As Sole and Intercrop

Indian J. Plant Physiol., Vol XXXVI, No.4 pp. 246-249 (December, 1993)

SHORT COMMUNICATION

MULCH AND IRRIGATION EFFECTS ON GROWTH AND WATER USE OF BARLEY, LENTIL AND LINSEED GROWN AS SOLE AND INTERCROP

BUAN K. MANDAL AND SUSANTA K. MAHAPATRA

Department of Agronomy, Bidhan Chandra Krishi Viswavidyalaya, Mohanpur - 741 252

Received on 22 Dec., 1989

Sole barley produced the highest amount of dry matter and leaf area index followed by barley intercropped with lentil. Combined dry matter accumulation and leaf area index were higher with one irrigation and straw mulch in barley + linseedintercropping. Total consumptive use of· water was significantly higher in irrigated and non-mulched plots than unirrigated and mulched plots. Barley + lentil recorded higher consumptive use than barley + linseed. Highest water use efficiency on yield basis (kg ha-I mOl-I)-was recorded in pure barley followed by barley + lentil intercropping. However, water 1 1 use efficiency on monetary basis (Rs ha- mm· ) was highest in barley + lentil plots followed by barley + linseed.

Complementary use of resources is the main reason with linseed; both the intercroppings were practised at 4 for higher yields in intercropping compared with sole :2 proportions. cropping by the component crops when growing together The seeds of barley (Cy. Jyoti), lentil (B77 or Asha) rather than separately. Baker (1974) showed that spread and linseed (B67 or Neela) were sown in rows 20 cm ing peak water demands by temporal intercropping might apart. Barley seeds were sown @ 80 kg ha-I in both pure give more efficient use of water. Therefore, the present and mixed stands. The seed rates for lentil and linseed experiment was conducted at the farm of B.c. Agricul were 35 and 12 kg ha-) respectively, in pure stand and one tural University, Mohanpur, to examine the effect of - third ofthe normal seed rate when intercropped. Within mulch, irrigation and intercropping on yield of barley, a row, a spacing of 7-10 cm was maintained between lentil and linseed. plants. The date of sowing was 23 and 30 November The study was conducted during 1984-85 and 1985 during 1984-85 and 1985-86, respectively. 86 at Kalyani W.B. (9.75 m altitude, 89°E and 23°N) on All the plots ofpure and intercropped stands of-barley a sandy loam soil in the Gangetic alluvial plains. There I and linseed received N, P and K @ 60, 13.2,25 kg ha- , were 20 treatment combinations tried in a split plot design respectively. Pure Stand oflentil received N.P and K. @ with 3 replicates. Main plots were having 2 irrigation j 20, 17.6 and 25 kg ha- , respectively. Full dose ofN, P and levels, 10 and II (one irrigation after 35 days of sowing). !< were applied as basal to all the crops. Each main plot was divided into subplots with 2 levelsof mulch, Mo ( No mulch) and M) (rice straw mulch @ 7t. Samples were· taken at 15 days interval beginning I ha- ) and each subplot was again divided into 5 ultimate from 40 days after sowing (DAS) in case oflentil and60 plots of 4 m by 4 m where 5 different cropping systems DAS in case of barley and linseed. At each sampling, 56 were alloted randomly. The 5 cropping systems were: (i) em row was selected randomly and the tops were har Sole barley, (ii) sole lentil (iii) sole linseed, (iv) intererop vested at ground level. Dry weights ofdifferent plant parts ping of barley with lentil ~nd (v) intercropping of barley were recorded and summed up. Leaf area index was WATER-USE EFFICIENCY IN SOME CROPS 247

calculated on the basis ofarea-weight relationship. Water lentil (Fig. I). Mandai et al. (1986) reported beneficial balance method was used for calculating total consump effect of irrigation up to 3 irrigations in case ofwheat, .tive use of water in each plot. mustard and chick pea. Higher dry matter accumulation of millet when grown with groundnut was reported by Water use efficiency (WUE) was calculated on the Reddy and Willey (1981). basis of economic yield (grain or seed) per mm of water used by the crops. Water use efficiency was also calcu Leaf Area Index : LAI increased substantially with lated on the basis oftotal return ofmonetary value against one irrigation and straw mulch individually in all the each treatment. The value of produce was calculated @ crops and in intercropped plots. (Fig. 2). LAI increased Rs. 230, Rs. 550 and Rs. 680 per quintal for barley, lentil with irrigation and mulch due to good growth of crops and linseed, respectively. resulting in higher moisture. content in the plots which received irrigation/straw mulch or irrigation and straw Dry matter production : One irrigation given at mulch .. Sole crop of barley showed higher LAI than active tillering stage produced more dry matter in barley, intercropped barley with lentil or linseed at. all growth lentil and linseed in pure stand as well as mixed crop than stages. Intercropping ofbarley with lentil recorded higher zero irrigation. Dry matter accumulation increased when LAI than with linseed at all growth stages. This was straw mulch was applied. Sole crop of barley produced probably due to less competition offered by lentil than maximum amount ofdry matter during both the years of linseed. Both lentil and linseed when grown·as sole crops experimentation followed by barley intercropped with produced higher LAI than when grown under inter

0-----0 SOLE BARLEY ___ BARLEV" LENHL - SOL .. LIIISBID. 0--- -{) BARLEY+ LINSEEIl .:r-----.:. .sOL! LJUHI L

Cl----i) SOLE BARLEY -...BARlEY+ LENTIL SOLE LIN!.E£D 0--- -OBARLEY+ LINSEED A----t:. SOLE LENTIL

~E 1200 2 1000 c,'" I ..:

:> ... .. 0 I .. oj a ~...... I __-, laNa 10Nt a: (ZERO IRIjI&ATION AND (ZERO IRRI&ATION AND STRAW "" 10 14 0 IoN! ... NO MULCH) MUl( H) (ZER.O IRRIGATION AND ZERO 'ZERO IRR.IGATION ANO STRAW MULCH) MULCH) I ..: 1200 ;E 1000

1100

Q &00

400

200

0 I I I .0 7S 90 OAYS-AFTER SOWING It NO II"" (ONE IRRIGATION AND NO (ONE IRRIGATION AND STRAW 60 75 90 .75 90 MULCH) MULCH) DAY!' AFTER SOWING ',NO I, ... , .(ONE IRRIGATION ANO ZEAO MUlC>!) (ONE IRRI&ATlON ANO STRAW MULCH) Fig. I. Dry matter accumulation by crops and crop mixtures Wlder Fig. 2. Leaf area indices of crops and crop mixtures Wlder levels of kvels of irrigation and mulch. irrigation and mulch. 248 BUAN K. MANDAL AND SUSANT A K. MAHAPA1RA cropped situation. The leaf area indices decreased in all the straw mulch. Mandai and Ghosh (1984 a and b) also cases after 75 DAS (Fig.2). Kundu and Chatterjee (1982), reported decreased consumptive use in sesame and ground also reported higher leaf area index under intercropping nut plots during summer with the application of paddy systems. straw mulch @ 7.5 t ha-' . Total consumptive use was significantly higher in pure lentil over all other crops and Nodule number per plant in lentil did not differ intercropping systems during 1984-85, while during 1985 significantly due to one irrigation over zero irrigation 86, pure linseed was the only exception. during 1984-85 at 40 and 60 DAS; however, the differ- Water use efficiency (kg/ha/mm) was significantly

Table 1. Effect of irrigation, mulch and cropping system on the number of nodules/plant of lentil

PartiC!~lars 40DAS 60DAS 80DAS 1884-85 85-86 1984-85 85-86 1984-85 1985-86 Irrigation levels 10 19.08 18.66 20.41 15.58 18.33 15.41 II 24.83 22.99 23.74 19.24 22.41 19.16 S.Em (:I:) 1.60 0.56 0.98 0.26 0.31 0.44 C.D. at 5% NS 3.42 NS 1.56 1.90 2.71 Levels of mulch Mo 19.33 18.99 19.83 16.41 18.83 16.4 ; MI 24.58 22.66 24.33 18.44 21.91 18.16 S.Em:l: 0.65 0.46 0.74 0.44 0.40 0.13 C.D. at 5% 2.56 1.81 2.91 1.73 1.57 0.52 Cropping system LE 27.49 21.66 22.74 18.08 21.08 18.16 B+LE 16.41 19.99 21.41 16.74 19.66 16.41 S.Em (:I:) 0.34 0.42 1.12 0.63 0.57 0.31 C.D. at 5% 1.10 1.37 NS NS NS 0.99 NS-Not Significant; B- Bariley; LE- Lentil ence was significant at 80 DAS, while during 1985-86 it higher with one irrigation during both the years. Similar differed significantly at all growth stages. Straw ~ulch result was found in case ofstraw mulch. Highest water use significantly influenced nodule number per plant oflentilin efficiency was noted in pure barley followed by barley + both the years. Nodule number per plant of lentil was lentil, barley + linseed, pure lentil, pure linseed, in both significantly higher in case of sole crop over intercrop the. years. with barley at 40 DAS, but the difference was not signifi cant at 60 DAS while it was significant at 80 DAS only Water use efficiency on monetary basis (Rs/ha/mm) during 1985-86. (Table I). was also significantly higher with one irrigation over zero irrigation and with straw mulch over no mulch. Water lise Water use: Total consumptive water use wassignifi efficiency was highest in plots where barley + lentil was cantly higher with one irrigation over zero irrigation intercropped followed by intercropped plots of barley + (Table II). Mandai et_ al_, (1986) also reported that linseed. consumptive use increased significantly with an increase in the level of irrigation. Total consumptive use was From the present study it can be concluded that barley significantly higher in case of non-mulched plots over + lentil intercropping is beneficial from the view point of straw mulched plots and this was probably due to greater growth and water use. One irrigation and straw mulch evaporation from the soil surface which was prevented by increased water use efficiency. WATER USE EFFICIENCY IN SOME CROPS 249

Table II. Effect of irrigatIon, mulch and cropping system on the total water use and water-use efficiency Total conswnptive Water use efficiency Water use efficiency Particulars use of water (mm) (kg/ha/mm) . (Rs./ha/mm) 1984-85 85-86 1984-85 85-86 1984-85 85-86 Irrigation levels 10 240.20 233.13 4.90 4.53 16.30 14.66 I] 266.23 252.23 5.69 4.88 19.07 16.07 S.Em (±) 0.94 3.37 0.064 0.048 C.D. at 5% 4.04 14.52 0.275 0.207 Levels of mulch

Mo 263.10 252.46 4.70 4.29 15.52 13.85 M1 343.33 232.90 5.90 5.13 19.85 16.88 S.Em (±) 1.38 1.27 0.076 0.077 C.D. at 5% 3.86 3.55 0.211 0.21 Cropping system

B 246.41 238.91 7.62 6.92 17.53 15.94 LE 261.33 252.41 2.93 2.50 16.12 13.80 LI 255.83 250.16 2.52 2.01 17.18 13.71 B+LE 253.41 235.50 6.83 6.31 19.33 17.05 B + LI 249.08 236.41 6.58 5.80 18.26 16.34 o' S.Em (±) 1.87 2.98 0.204 0.096 C.D. at 5% 3.82 6.08 0.416 0.195 B - Barley; LE - Lentil, LI - Linseed.

REFERENCES Mandai, B.K. and Ghosh, T. K. ( I 984 a). Efficiency ofmulches in the reduction of irrigation requirement of groundnut. India J. Agri(:. Sci. 54 .446449. Baker,. E.F.I. (1974). Research 011 mixed - cropping with cereals in Mandai, B.K. and Ghosh, T.K. (1984 b). Effect of mulches on the Nigeria farming systems, a system for improvement. Proc. growth and yield of sesame. Indian J. Agron. 29 : 549-552. Intl. Workshop Farming Syst., ICRISAT, Hyderabad, 18-21 November 1974, pp. 287-301. Mandai, B.K., Ray, P.K. and Dasgupta, S. (1986). Water use by wheat, chickpea and mustard grown as sole crops and inter crops.lndianJ. Agric. Sci., 56 : 187-193. KUndu, and Chatterjee, B.N. (1982). Growth analysis of tur A.L. Reddy, M.S. and Willey, R.W. (1981), Growth and resource use meric as a sole crop and in mixture wi th other crops. Indian J. studies in an intercrop of pearl millet and groundnut. Field. Agric. Sci. 52: 584-589. Crop Res. 4 : 13-24.