Intercropping vegetables and pulses in black pepper (Piper nigrum L.)

Abstract

An experiment was conducted with the objective of enhancing the income from black pepper garden by inter cropping vegetables and pulses at experimental farm of Indian Institute of Spices Research, Peruvannamuzhi, Kerala for two years. Vegetables namely Abelmoschus esculentus (Okra), Lycopersicon esculentum (Tomato), Solanum melongena ( Brinjal), Amaranthus spp. red and green, Capsicum annum (chilli), pulses such as Vigna ungiculata (cowpea), Vigna radiata (green gram) Vigna mungo (black gram), Macrotyloma uniflorum (horsegram) were chosen as intercrops and planted in the interspaces of four black pepper plants. Treatments were laid out in RBO with four replications and plot size was 3 x 1 m. The results indicated that height of black pepper plants was more under intercropping situation compared to sale crop of black pepper. Yield (5000 kg/hay, net income (Rs. 55,000) and B:C ratio (2.8) were highest for Amaranthus spp. green followed by Amaranthus spp. red.