EFFECT OF MAIZE PLANTING CONFIGURATION AND BLACKGRAM SEED RATE ON FODDER PRODUCTION UNDER MAJZE-BLACKGP.AM INTERCROPPING SYSTEM

Abstract

The experiment was conducted at the Agronomy field at Sher-e-Bangla Agricultural University, Dhaka during the period from September to December, 2013 to study the effect of maize planting configuration and blackgram seed rate on fodder production under maize - blackgram intercropping system. The varieties of maize and blackgram used were local savar and BAR! mash-3 respectively. The experiment laid out in was a Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with three (3) replications. Fourteen treatments viz, T1 = 40x20 cm Maize(sole), 1 2 = Black gram sowing @ 40 kg ha'(sole), T3 = Maize sowing at spacing 60x13 cm with Black gram sowing @ 30 kg hi'. 1'4 = Maize sowing at spacing 60x 13 cm with Black gram sowing @ 40 kg hi', T5 = Maize sowing at spacing 60x 13 cm with Black gram sowing @ 50 kg hi', T6 = Maize sowing at spacing 50x16 cm with Black gram sowing @ 30 kg hi', T7 = Maize sowing at spacing 50x16 cm with Black gram sowing @40kg hi', T8 = Maize sowing at spacing 50x16 cm with Black gram sowing @ 50 kg ha4, T9 = Maize sowing at spacing 40x20 cm with Black gram sowing @ 30 kg hi', T10 = Maize sowing at spacing 40x20 cm with Black gram sowing @ 40 kg ha 4, T1 , = Maize sowing at spacing 40x20 cm with Black gram sowing @ 50 kg hi', 1 32 = Maize sowing at spacing 30x27 cm with Black gram sowing 30 kg hi', 1'33 = Maize sowing at spacing 30x27 cm with Black gram sowing @40kg hi', T 4 = Maize sowing at spacing 30x27 cm with Black gram sowing® 50 kg @ hi' were considered for the present study. Results showed that both the sole maize and blackgram gave the highest per plant values in most of the plant parameters studied. The treatments show appreciable difference in plant height, number of leaves plan(',number of branchcs plant', fodder weight plant" and dry weight of blackgram and maize due to the varying seed rate and row arrangements. Among the intercropping treatments '40x20 cm apart accommodated spacing' showed higher per plant maize fodder yield 172.70 g. But significantly higher fodder yield and dry weight of maize per hectare was found in sole maize. The sole maize showed significantly the highest values of fodder yield 20.16 t hi' .The sole blackgram showed significantly the highest values of fodder yield 2.02 t hi '.Thc benefit cost ratio (8CR) was found to be the highest (1.77) in the treatment Ti. However, the intercropping treatments showed inconsistent results in respect of growth, fodder attributes.