Land equivalent ratio as influenced by intercrops in cauliflower (Brassica oleracea var. botrytis)
DOI: https://doi.org/10.21276/AATCCReview.2025.13.01.158
Abstract
The field investigations were conducted at the Vegetable Experimental Farm, Division of Vegetable Science and Floriculture, SKUAST, Chatha, Jammu to examine the impact of intercropping systems on the yield and economics of various sole and intercrops. The experiment employed a Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with three replications and fifteen treatments. The sole crop treatments included T1- Cauliflower, T2- Knol-khol, T3- Spinach beet, T4- Swiss chard, T5- Lettuce, T6- Fenugreek, T7- Coriander, and T8- Radish. The intercrop treatments were T9- Cauliflower + Knol-khol, T10- Cauliflower + Spinach beet, T11- Cauliflower + Swiss chard, T12- Cauliflower + Lettuce, T13- Cauliflower + Fenugreek, T14- Cauliflower + Coriander, and T15- Cauliflower + Radish. The sole treatment of Cauliflower produced the highest yield (220.00 q/ha) compared to the intercropping treatments. Among the intercropping treatments, the combination of cauliflower and coriander produced the highest values for Land Equivalent Ratio (LER) at 1.35, Monetary Advantage Index (MAI) at 63.29, and Cabbage Equivalent Yield (CEY) at 284.54 q/ha, while cauliflower and fenugreek had the highest production efficiency at 2.45 q/ha/day. Economically, the cauliflower and coriander intercrop achieved the highest gross return (711,350 Rs./ha), net return (596,352 Rs./ha), and Benefit-Cost (BC) ratio (5.19). Therefore, the research concluded that intercropping cauliflower with leafy vegetables like coriander and fenugreek is more profitable than cultivating cauliflower alone. The study confronted challenges in balancing yield and economic viability across diverse crop combinations, yet it highlights the profitability and efficiency of intercropping cauliflower with leafy vegetables, offering valuable insights for optimizing vegetable farming practices.