CROP COMBINATION AND YIELD PATTERN IN COFFEE MIX CROPPED WITH CARDAMOM

Abstract

The compatibility and yield pattern of robusta coffee and arabica coffee both as mono and mixed crop with cardamom was studied in Kodagu, Karnataka. Rohusta coffee mix cropped with cardamom recorded 1988 kglha as against 2626 kglha as a mono crop. Cardamom as a mixed crop with rohusta coffee in double hedge recorded the highest yield of 1400.5 kg dry capsule/ha during the fourth year of its planting and the average of seven crop seasons was 672.30 kglha. On an average the gross and net returns were more by 5.17 and 4.06 times in mixed cropping respectively compared to monocropping. The Net Present Worth (NPW) and Benefit Cost Ratio (BCR) were higher in mixed cropping by 232.78 and 74.18% respectively, which indicated the profitability of mixed cropping of robusta cofee with cardamom over mono cropping of robusta coffee. Dry yield per plant and per hectare of arabica coffee as a mono crop was significantly higher compared to mixed cropping with cardamom. Dry cardamom capsule yield was highest during the third year of its mixed cropping with arabica coffee. There was reduction in the yield of arabica coffee per hectare when mix cropped with cardamom as the population of arabica coffee retained was exactly half by removing an alternate row (1134 plants/ha). The encouraging yield of cardamom obtained in the mixed cropping system, greatly compensated the total productivity and returns per unit area as revealed by economic analysis. Net return was higher by 303.1 per cent in the mixed crop stand as compared to mono cropping