Abstract

A field experiment was conducted at Agricultural Research Station, Bailhongal, Belagavi district, Karnataka on mixed red and black medium soil during kharif 2016 to study the productivity and profitability of soybean and millets (foxtail millet, finger millet and little millet) under different row proportions. The experiment was laid out in RCBD with 10 treatment combinations replicated thrice. Millets were intercropped with soybean at different row proportions (2: 1 and 4: 2) along with sole millets and soybean. Sole soybean recorded significantly higher grain yield (2, 255 kg/ha) over intercropping treatments. Among the intercropping systems, soybean grain yield was higher in 4: 2 row ratio of soybean+foxtail millet (1, 697 kg/ha) followed by 2: 1 row ratio of soybean+foxtail millet (1, 673 kg/ha). Sole foxtail millet recorded significantly higher grain yield (1, 901 kg/ha) than other treatments. Among the intercropping treatments, soybean+foxtail millet in 4: 2 row proportion recorded significantly higher grain yield (1, 429 kg/ha) and it was on par with 2: 1 row ratio of soybean+foxtail millet (1419 kg/ha). Among various intercropping treatments, the highest soybean equivalent yield and land equivalent ratio (LER) were recorded in 4: 2 row ratio of soybean+foxtail millet (2, 334 kg/ha, 1.50 respectively). It was on par with 2: 1 row ratio of soybean+foxtail millet (2, 310 kg/ha, 1.49, respectively). While ATER was highest in 4: 2 row ratio of soybean+little millet (1.48) and it was on par with 2: 1 row ratio of row ratio of soybean+little millet (1.46). Significantly higher net returns and B: C ratio were recorded in 4: 2 row ratio of soybean+foxtail millet (Rs. 68, 457/ha and 2.45, respectively) and it was on par with 2: 1 row ratio of soybean+foxtail millet (Rs. 66, 779/ha and 2.40, respectively).