Economic potentials of tuber crops for intercropping in young cashew plantations.

摘要

A study was conducted during 2005-06 and 2006-06 in a young cashew plantation planted in 2003 in Madakkathara, Kerala, India, to identify suitable tuber crops that can be grown profitably as intercrop in cashew plantations in the early years of establishment. The plantation was graft planted. The treatments comprised 5 tuber crops (coleus, colocasia, tapioca, sweet potato and amorphophallus) and a pure crop control. The test cultivar was M4 for tapioca, Kanjanghad for sweet potato and local for amorphophallus, colocasia and coleus. Tapioca recorded the highest yield during both years as well as in pooled mean (20.429 t/ha) and outyielded all other crops significantly. The next highest yield was recorded by amorphophallus during both years as well as in pooled mean (16.841 t/ha). The lowest tuber yield (8.967 t/ha, polled mean) was recorded by sweet potato. In respect of total return, tapioca and amorphophallus recorded the highest values during both years as well as in pooled mean (Rs 71 500 and Rs 71 572/ha, respectively). Sweet potato recorded the lowest pooled mean value of total return (Rs 53 802/ha). The highest mean net return was recorded by tapioca during both years and in pooled mean (Rs 44 907/ha). This was followed by coleus and colocasia (Rs 39 023 and 38 545/ha, respectively; pooled mean). The lowest net return was recorded by sweet potato (Rs 26 169/ha). In respect of benefit:cost ratio, tapioca recorded the highest value during both years as well as in pooled mean (2.69). It was followed by coleus and colocasia (2.25 and 2.23, respectively; pooled mean).