SYSTEM PRODUCTIVITY AND ECONOMICS OF INTERCROPPING Maize WITH SUGARCANE

Abstract: To investigate the effects of intercropping of maize with sugarcane on cane development, outturn, and overall economic return, field experiments were carried out during the cropping year 2021–22 in two different locations: Bangladesh Sugarcrop Research Institute (BSRI), Ishwardi, Pabna and the Regional Sugarcrop Research Station (RSRS), Thakurgaon, Bangladesh. There were nine treatments namely T1 : Single row sugarcane only (SS), T2 : SS+ Maize (During sett placement), T3 : SS+ Maize (7 days after sett placement), T4 : SS+ Maize (14 days after sett placement), T5 : SS+ Maize (21 days after sett placement), T6 : SS+ Maize (28 days after sett placement), T7 : SS+ Maize (35 days after sett placement), T8 : SS+ Maize (42 days after sett placement), T9 : Maize (M) only. Sugarcane variety “Isd 39” and maize variety “Super 92” were used in this experiment as experimental materials. Results indicated that T7 treatment was superior in terms of germination (56.56% at BSRI and 57.33% at Thakurgaon). The treatments T1 (174.33×103 ha-1 and 184.00×103 ha-1) and T7 (162.67×103 ha-1 and 168.00×103 ha-1) consistently exhibited superior tiller production and millable cane yield at both the locations. However, T1 generally resulted in higher cane yield, while T7 demonstrated higher SEY (108.25 t ha-1 at BSRI and 114.79 t ha-1 at Thakurgaon), LER (1.56 at BSRI and 1.52 at Thakurgaon), ATER (1.20 at BSRI and 1.16 at Thakurgaon), gross monetary value (487133 BDT ha-1 at BSRI and 516533 BDTha-1at Thakurgaon), and monetary advantage index (175178 at BSRI and 177542 at Thakurgaon) compared to other treatments. Treatment T2 also showed competitive SEY (105.52 t ha-1 at BSRI and 108.69 t ha-1 at Thakurgaon), LER (1.64 at BSRI and 1.54 at Thakurgaon), ATER (1.13 at BSRI and 1.07 at Thakurgaon), gross monetary value (474867 BDT ha-1at BSRI and 489100 BDT ha-1at Thakurgaon), and monetary advantage index (184942 at BSRI and 173134 at Thakurgaon), indicating its effectiveness in enhancing sugarcane production. Therefore, it maize planted 35 days after sugarcane sett placement (T7 ) or during sugarcane sett placement (T2 ), profitable intercropping system. 

Keywords: Multiple cropping, maize, sugarcane, yield, monetary benefit