Performance of Arhar - based little millet intercropping under rain-fed conditions of Odisha

The field experiment was carried out at Regional Research and Technology Transfer Station (OUAT), Semiliguda, Koraput under Eastern Ghat High Land zone of Odisha, India during kharif 2019 and 2020. The objective of the study was to identify the suitable planting pattern and fertilizer dose in itercropping system arhar+liitle millet. The experiment comprised of nine treatments and laid out in factorial randomized block design (FRBD) with replicated thrice consisting Factor-I (3 planting pattern) viz; arhar+little millet (1:1), arhar+little millet (2:2), arhar+little millet (1:2) and Factor –II (3 Fertilizer dose) viz. 100% soil test based fertilizer (STBF) to Arhar+0% recommended dose (RD) to little millets, 100% STBF to Arhar+50% RD to little millets, 100% STBF to Arhar+100% RD to little millets. Little millet variety “OLM 203” and arhar variety “BRG-5” were sown at recommended dose of fertilizer 40-20-20 NPK kg/ha for little millet and 20-40-40 NPK kg/ha. Among the different treatment imposed to base crop, the highest yield of arhar (1043.5) kg/ha was recorded in the planting pattern P2 (2:2) and seed yield 1045.3 kg/ha in the fertilizer dose M3(100% STBF to Arhar+100% RD to little millet). Where as in intercrop the highest yield of little millet in Planting pattern of P3 (1:2) ratio produced significantly higher yield 389 kg/ha accounting 3.5% and 8.5% higher yield, over P2 and P1. The yield of little millet 445.3 kg/ha recorded under fertilizer dose M3 (100% STBF to arhar + 100% STBF to little millet) was significantly superior, registering 17.85% higher yield than M2 and 30.68% higher than M1.