Production potential and economics of safed musli (Chlorophytum borivilianum) under intercropping system

Abstract

A field experiment was conducted for two years, 2004–5 and 2005–6 during July–March at the research farm of the Central Institute of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants, Lucknow to study the compatibility, productivity and economics of intercropping in safed musli (Chlorophytum borivilianum Santapau & Fernandes). Vegetable crops viz cowpea, okra and bottle gourd, maize for grain, long duration pigeon pea, sweet basil in first year at their full and half population were intercropped with full population of safed musli in additive series. In the second year okra and sweet basil were replaced by lablab bean and sacred basil, respectively. Results of two years' experiments showed that intercropping of pigeon pea and bottle gourd with musli were advantageous in terms of overall yield, land equivalent ratio (LER), monetary advantage and economic return. The most appropriate combinations to realize the maximum advantage from intercropping were half plant population of bottle gourd grown at 100 × 100 cm or 120 × 90 cm spacing and pigeon pea grown at 120 × 20 cm spacing with musli. These combinations gave additional yield of 49.82 t ha⁻¹of bottle gourd and 6.51 t ha⁻¹ grain of pigeon pea (2-year mean) without significantly reducing the root yield of musli.

Keywords:

• safed musli (Chlorophytum borivilianum)
• intercropping
• yield
• land equivalent ratio (LER)
• net return

Acknowledgements

The authors are grateful to the Director, Central Institute of Medicinal and Aromatic plants, Lucknow for providing facilities and U.P. Council of Agriculture research (UPCAR), Lucknow for partial funding of the project.