Effect of LCC based nitrogen management on growth, yield attributes and productivity of maize + groundnut intercropping and its residual effect on black gram in red lateritic soil of Odisha

A two-year field experiment (2017-19) was conducted to study the intercropping of maize with groundnut (during Kharif) and its residual effect on Black gram (in Rabi) at farmer’s field in Kamakhyanagar block (Baisinga G.P) in red and lateritic soil. The experiment was laid out in simple randomized block design (RBD) with 12 treatments i.e., T₁-Sole maize recommended practice (1/3 basal+1/3 knee height+1/3 tasseling,) T₂-Sole groundnut recommended practice (1/2 basal + 1/2 1^st hoeing), T₃-Sole maize recommended practice (without Nitrogen), T₄- Sole groundnut recommended practice (without Nitrogen), T₅-Maize+ groundnut recommended practice, T₆-Maize+ groundnut recommended practice (without nitrogen), T₇-Sole maize at LCC 3, T₈-Sole maize at LCC 4, T₉-Sole maize at LCC 5, T₁₀-Maize + Ground nut at LCC 3, T₁₁- maize + Ground nut at LCC 4, T₁₂- maize + Ground nut at LCC 5) with three replications. Nitrogen fertilization improved crop growth and yield, with sole maize at N120 showing 10.9% higher plant height and 8.3% more dry matter than N0, while intercropped maize increased by 16.1% and 30.3%, respectively. LCC5 further enhanced maize height and dry matter by 9.1% and 20.9% over LCC3. Yield attributes, including cob length, grains per cob, and 1000-grain weight, were positively affected. Maize grain yield increased by 12.5% in sole and 18.2% in intercropped maize under N120, with LCC5 boosting yield by 22.7% over LCC3. Groundnut pod yield improved by 10.3–15.6% under intercropping, and blackgram yield in the subsequent Rabi season increased by 8.5–12.2% due to residual nitrogen. Overall, intercropping maize with groundnut and LCC-based nitrogen management enhances growth, yield, and subsequent crop productivity, offering a sustainable strategy for red and lateritic soils.