This document discusses intercropping systems in fruit crop orchards. It describes how certain short-term fruit crops and vegetables can be grown as intercrops during the early stages of establishment of perennial fruit trees. Some examples given include papaya, peach, and guava as fruit crop intercrops in mango orchards. Vegetables like tomato, cauliflower, and beans are also mentioned as suitable intercrops in citrus and grape orchards. The document outlines principles for selecting intercrops and highlights benefits like increased productivity and income generation from intercropping in fruit crops.

1. INTERCROPPING IN
FRUIT CROPS
Dr. Parshant Bakshi
(Associate Professor)
Division of Fruit Science
SAMETI Training on 25th -26th August, 2014”

2. Intercropping
Intercropping is the cultivation of two or more crops at
the same time in the same field.

3. Intercropping was originally practiced as an insurance against
crop failure under rainfall conditions.
At present the main objective of intercropping is higher
productivity per unit area in addition to stability in production.
Intercropping systems utilizes resources sufficiently and their
productivity is increased.
 Insurance against total crop failure under aberrant weather
conditions or pest epidemics.
 Increase in total productivity per unit land area.
 Judicious utilization of resources such as land labour and inputs.
Objectives

4. Mixed intercropping: Growing two or more crops simultaneously
with no distinct row arrangement.
Row intercropping: Growing two or more crops simultaneously
where one or more crops are planted in rows.
Strip Inter-cropping : Growing two or more crops simultaneously
in different strips wide enough to permit independent cultivation
but narrow enough for the crops to interact ergonomically.
Relay inter-cropping: Growing two or more crops simultaneously
during part of the life cycle of each. A second crop is planted after
the first crop has reached its reproductive stage but before it is ready
for harvest.
Types of Intercropping:

5. Detailed Planning
Timely planting of each crop
Adequate fertilization at optimal rate and times
Effective weed, pest and disease control
 Efficient harvesting
Distinct aspects of Intercropping:

6. Intercropping in fruit crops
Fruit crops as intercrops
Short-term and early bearing fruit crops as an intercrop, due consideration is
essential in the selection of a particular fruit.
This is essential because the roots of such trees may start competing with the
roots of main fruit trees for nutrients and moisture.
The filler trees, unless removed at appropriate time when primary fruit trees
start giving economic crop, may create problems of low orchard efficiency.
 Wherever pineapple and strawberry can be grown, these may serve as an ideal
intercrop.

7. Wherever frost hazard is less, an intercrop of papaya can be taken
profitably in a mango orchard.
Likewise, in the northern plains of India, 'Sharbati' peach can be an
excellent intercrop for mango orchard.
Phalsa and guava could also be included in the early stages of growth of
the trees, provided these are maintained properly by adequate pruning and
removal at proper time.

8. Fruit crop Intercrops
1. Guava Cauliflower, French Bean, Pea, Lobia, Mung Bean
and Cucurbits
2. Grapes Pea, Cauliflower, French Bean, Chilies, Spinach,
Marigold, Gladiolus and Jasmine
3. Papaya Cauliflower, Onion, Tomato, Capsicum, and Peas.
4. Citrus Cauliflower, Onion, Tomato, Bitter Guard, Bottle
Guard, Peas and Okra.
5. Peach Turmeric, Ginger, Soybean and Cowpea
6.Litchi and Mango Turmeric, Ginger, Bitter Guard, Bottle Guard,
Tomato, Raddish and Cauliflower,
Vegetable as intercrops in fruit orchards

9. Principles of intercropping
Intercrops should occupy a secondary place in the orchard, primary
consideration being given to the perennial fruit trees.
The crops that may grow tall and have a tendency towards excessive growth
should be discouraged.
At least 120 cm radius must be left from the base of the growing fruit trees
for taking intercrops.
Such intercrops should be selected that do not exhaust the nutrients and
moisture from the soil, so essential for the growth of fruit trees.
Perennial or exhaustive crops should be discouraged as an intercrop in the
orchard.
This may have devitalizing effect on the growing trees. For example,
sugarcane, pigeonpea, maize, jowar should invariably be excluded from an
intercropping programme in the orchard.

10. Intercropping gives additional yield income/unit area than sole
cropping.
 Inter-crops maintain the soil fertility as the nutrient uptake is
made from both layers of soil.
 Reduction in soil runoff and controls weeds.
 Intercrops provide shade and support to the other crop.
 Inter cropping system utilizes resources efficiently and their
productivity is increased.
 Intercropping with cash crops is highly profitable.
Advantage of Intercropping

11.  Yield decreases as the crops differ in their competitive
abilities.
 Management of intercrop having different cultural
practices seems to be difficult task.
 Improved implements cannot be used efficiently.
 Higher amount of fertilizer or irrigation water cannot be
utilized properly as the component crops vary in their
response of these resources.
 Harvesting is difficult.
Disadvantage of Intercropping

13. Treatment
Yield
(t/ha)
Cost of
cultivatio
n
Net return
(Rs/ha)
B:C
Ratio
Sweet potato(30:20:30 NPK kg / ha) 11.75 9315 20046 2.15
Sweet potato (60:40:60 NPK kg/ ha) 15.50 10225 27527 2.70
Amorphophallus (40:30:40) NPK kg / ha) 25.50 47000 108001 2.29
Amorphophallus( 80:60:80 NPK kg / ha) 31.50 49000 140000 2.85
Callocasia (40:30:40 NPK kg / ha) 17.65 11225 41749 3.72
Callocasia( 80:60:80 NPK kg / ha) 19.95 12000 47833 3.99
Turmeric (40:30:40 NPK kg / ha) 13.35 11225 28750 2.55
Turmeric (80:60:80 NPK kg / ha) 14.85 12000 32583
2.70
Table 1. Intercropping tuber crops in litchi orchard

14. Farmer used to intercrop elephant foot yam in banana
orchard and get additional income.
Some farmers also grow elephant foot yam, green gram
and maize in banana orchard.
Banana based intercropping system

15. treatment
Yield of
intercrop(q/ha)
Yield of aonla
(kg/tree)
Net return(/
ha)
B:C
Aonla (alone) - 53.6 1,33,348 9.29
Aonla+ turmeric 227.1 61.6 4,36,766 5.92
Aonla + ginger 114.4 56.2 3,29,973 3.40
Aonla + Arbi 118.8 58.4 1,79,681 3.42
Aonla based intercropping system

16. a. A field experiment was conducted on aonla and ber grown with or
without cowpea and sesamum in the kharif, and gram and Indian
mustard in the rabi. The increase in income due to the intercrops
ranged from 5111 to 9150 rupees/ha in aonla, and from 5695 to
14 954/ha in ber. Based on cost analysis, cowpea was found to be the
most beneficial intercrop for aonla and ber (additional income of
91 501 and 14 954 rupees/ha, respectively).
Experimental results
b. Fruit yield of aonla was maximum when intercropped with legume and
grass in 2:1 row ratio (6.42 t ha−1).
c. In the case of mango based cropping system, the mango plants attained
the maximum height in the case of Mango + Guava + cowpea after 6
years of planting. The guava plants attained the maximum tree height (2.7
m) with Stylosanthes as intercrop after 4 years. The maximum yield of
guava was obtained in the case of French bean as intercrop. Different
crop combinations have shown significant effect on the soil
characteristics.

17. In the case of aonla based cropping system, the maximum plant height of
aonla was noticed under ground nut intercropping whereas guava plant
attained the maximum height with ground nut and black gram. The
maximum yield of guava was obtained in the case of paddy as intercrop in the
fourth year in upland plateau of eastern India.
d. In North 24 Paraganas and Nadia District in West Bengal during 2007-
2008, found that papaya based intercropping was accepted by the farmers due
to secondary source of income from papaya. Vegetables such as chilli, brinjal,
colocasia, elephant foot yam, bottle gourd and pumpkin as intercrops were
observed in papaya field. From the results of survey from 20 orchards of
papaya, it was clear that most of the farmers (about 79%) practised in papaya-
chilli intercrops followed by papaya-brinjal in first year i.e. in early
vegetative stage. The papaya plants are retained up to second year to get yield
and the tall papaya plants (5-7 m height) are then used as pole for making
suitable structure/mancha to raise bottle gourd.
Conti….

18. During second year, they planted pumpkin, colocasia and elephant foot yam in
late fruiting phases. Comparative study of benefit cost ratio per hectare of sole
(pure) crop (1.82) and papaya based intercrops (2.1) was also calculated on the
basis of farmer’s observations. It was also found that the papaya plants were
infested with mosaic virus when intercropped with chilli and brinjal.
e. Soyabeans, berseem and wheat were grown as intercrops in a peach
orchard to determine their effects on the vegetative growth, quality of fruit
and yield of peach. The highest shoot length (62.85 cm), maximum number of
flowers per limb (10.22) and maximum number of fruit per limb (5.82)
were found from soyabean interculture compared with 52.42 cm, 9.62 and
4.17 fruit set in controls, and 44.03 cm, 9.65 and 3.60 fruit set when
intercropped with wheat. Maximum fruit drop per limb (1.35) was observed
when grown with wheat, as compared to 1.02 in control. Mean fruit size was
6.21 cm in controls and highest (8.61 cm) when intercropped with soyabeans.
Maximum yield (38.7 kg/tree) was observed in soyabean interculture followed
by berseem intercropping (30.9 kg/tree) as compared with 15.25 kg/tree in
controls and 10.04 kg/tree in wheat interculture.

19. Apple-soybean Intercropping

20. Intercropping of potato with Litchi

21. Intercropping vegetables between young citrus trees

22. Mango plantations in drought prone Barind areas intercropped with rice

23. Intercropping of foot yam and pomegranate in coconut garden

24. Elephant foot yam + Guava intercropping system

25. Lime, Guava and pumello intercropping system

27.  Aonla based cropping system should be
encouraged in Jammu region.
Phalsa can also be grown as an intercrop in the
orchards of mango or other fruit crops
particularly during the initial years.
Guava + phalsa + ber had the best ameliorate
effect on chemical properties of sodic soil.

29. Orchard which are nearer to cities or towns, better to grow
vegetables as intercrops
Intercrops should be selected that do not exhaust the nutrients
and moisture from soil.
For young orchards, vegetables which require abundant sun-light
can be selected. For old orchards shade loving crops are preferred.
Legumes are better choice for soil poor in nitrogen.
 Vegetables that have their roots within 25 cm depth of soil
(tomato, onion, cauliflower, beans, radish).
 Pest and disease problems are enhanced by growing two or more
crops together.
Factors to be taken while choosing intercrops

30. Take leguminous crops for cover cropping so that nitrogen
fixation in orchard is facilitated.
Crops like sunhemp in light soils and Dhaincha in heavy soils
may be grown to protect orchard soil from erosion.
Colocasia, ginger, and turmeric are heavy feeder and should be
grown with supplemental doses.
Crops which are well adapted to climatic and soil conditions
should be selected.
 Exhaustive crops should be discouraged as an intercrop in the
orchard. e.g. Sugarcane, pigeonpea, maize etc.

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