Intercropping of menthol mint (Mentha arvensis L.) and spearmint (Mentha spicata L.) with sugarcane (Saccharum officinarum L.).

摘要

Field experiments were conducted during 1997-99 at Lucknow (Uttar Pradesh, India) to study the effect of two sugarcane (Saccharum officinarum) cultivars, namely Co-S 767 (early, profuse tillering) and Co-Lk 8001 (late, shy tillering) and two planting geometries, i.e. 90 cm interval regular rows and 75 cm (row-to-row distance within the pair) x 120 cm (distance between two pairs of rows) paired rows for maximizing productivity, land use efficiency and income benefits through raising of menthol mint (M. arvensis) or spearmint (M. spicata) as intercrops in main as well as ratoon crop of sugarcane. As a sole crop, the two sugarcane cultivars were equally productive during the main crop cycle but during the ratoon crop cycle Co-S 767 yielded 15.3% more cane than Co-Lk 8001. Co-S 767 in paired row planting showed no reduction in cane yield by mint intercropping compared to 16.2 to 28.1% reduction in regular row planting during both main and ratoon crop cycles. Co-Lk 8001, however, did not suffer yield reduction by mint intercropping, irrespective of methods of sugarcane planting and crop cycles. However, menthol mint and spearmint suffered yield reduction (52-75%) as intercrops compared to their respective sole crop yields. In general, mint oil yield reductions were higher during the ratoon crop cycle and when the companion crop was Co-S 767. Mint intercropping with Co-Lk 8001 significantly improved land use efficiency (23-35%), gross (29-46%) and net returns (90-137%) and benefit-cost ratio (44-63%). Interplanting spearmint with Co-Lk 8001 resulted in the maximum profits.