Evaluation of cotton based inter cropping for Northern Region of Bangladesh

Int. J. Agr. & Agri. R.

International Journal of Agronomy and Agricultural Research (IJAAR) ISSN: 2223-7054 (Print) Vol. 2, No. 12, p. 43-49, 2012 http://www.innspub.net RESEARCH PAPER

OPEN ACCESS

Evaluation of cotton based inter cropping for Northern Region of Bangladesh J. Shopan1, A.K. Azad2, H. Rahman3, M.S. Mondol4, M.K. Hasan5 1

Scientific officer, Bangladesh Rice Research Institute, Gazipur, Bangladesh

2

Principle scientific Officer (In Charge) Cotton Research Station, Rangpur, Bangladesh

3

Plant breeding and gene engineering lab, Dept. of Botany, Rajshahi University, Bangladesh

4

Scientific officer, Cotton Research, Training and Seed Multiplication Farm Gazipur, Bangladesh

5

Assistant Professor, Department of Agricultural Chemistry, Sylhet Agricultural University, Sylhet,

Bangladesh Received: 14 October 11, 2012 Revised: 02 December 2012 Accepted: 03 December 2012

Key words: Inter cropping, seed cotton, profitable, BCR. Abstract Intercropping is the simultaneous cultivation of more than one crop species on the same piece of land and is regarded as the practical application of basic ecological principles such as diversity, competition and facilitation.

The experiment on the cost benefit analyses of some cotton based intercropping was taken at Cotton Research Centre, Rangpur which is suitable for northern region of Bangladesh. The experimental design was Randomized Complete Block Design with three replications. Among six treatments, statically significant and profitable result was found in seed cotton yield, also for potato and wheat yield. The treatment T5. (Cotton + Red amaranth + Potato + Maize + Sunhemp), has given more benefits (Cost benefit ration 2.38) than others. *Corresponding

Author: M.K. Hasan  kamrulsau@gmail.com

Shopan et al.

Page 43

Int. J. Agr. & Agri. R. Introduction

is the suitable northern region of Bangladesh. Some

Intercropping is a well established practice and there

high value and popular crops are included in this

are 12 million hectares under double cropping

experiment which will give more benefit to the

system in South Asia only (Woodhead et al., 1994).

farmer and will increase the cropping intensity.

Yield advantages from intercropping are often attributed to mutual complementary effects of

Materials and methods

component crops, such as better use of available

The experiment, cotton based intercropping was

farm resources (Legard & Steel, 1992), Influence on

started from the year 2008-09. This is the 2nd year

population

insect-pests

(2009-10) of the experiment. This experiment is

(Mogahed, 2003) and control of weed (Iqbal et al.,

conducted only at the Cotton Research Center,

2007). Upland cotton is one of the most important

Rangpur.

commercial crop in the world. But in Bangladesh, it

+lalshak) + wheat + maize + sunhemp, T2 (cotton +

has fall on a critical situation for its long duration

radish) + wheat + miaze + sun hemp, T3 (cotton +

and less benefit. Scarcity of land, introduction of

mungbean) + wheat + Mungbean + sunheamp, T4

high value crops are also the limiting factor for

(cotton + mungbean) + wheat + maize+ sun hemp,

extensive cotton cultivation. To overcome the

T5 (cotton + Red amaranth) + potato + maize +

situation and for making it more benefited to the

sunhemp, and T6 sole cotton were included. Here

farmer, cotton based intercropping is emphasized

cotton variety was CB-10, Red amaranth variety was

instead of sole cotton cultivation. Intercropping

Altapetti, Radish variety was Bomby., mungbean

provides an opportunity to avoid crop competition

variety was BARI-5, wheat variety was Sotabdi,

and advantage of increased production and greater

Maize variety was Specific -555 and potato variety

profit or margin (Evans, 1960; Gribines, 1963).and

was Phelsina. In case of sun hemp domestic

The intercrop treatments gives higher resource use

indigenous variety was included.

dynamics

of

major

Six

treatments

encoded

T1

(cotton

efficiency (Hashem and Maniruzzaman, 1986) and higher economic returns compared to the monocrop

The soil of the experimental plot was sandy loam

(Macuacua et al., 2007).

under

agro

ecological

zone

1-old

Himalayan

piedmont plain in Bangladesh (BRAC-1977), having It also increased land equivalent ratio (LER) to

PH-5.5-6.5The seeds of Cotton, Red amaranth,

varying degrees (Mehta and De, 1980: Hashem et al.,

Mungbean,

1990). Islam et al. (2004) reported that maize and

of29/7/09.Thinning was performed after 11 days and

bush been exhibited similar competitiveness in

21 days of seed emergence. Finally one seedling in

simultaneous sowing and resulted in the highest

one stand. Green manure (sun hemp) was plough

intercrop

bean

down at the age of 45 days. Decomposed organic

widely

matter was applied at the rate of 1.5 ton/ha at the

practiced by the farmers of Bangladesh. Generally

time of final land preparation. The nutrient elements

legumes in association with non-legumes not only

such as Nitrogen (N), phosphorous (P), potassium

helps in utilization of the nitrogen being fixed in the

(K), sulpher (S), Boron (B), and Zinc sulphat (Zn)

current growing season, but also helps in residual

were applied in plot at the rate of 23-81-52-88 and 8

nutrients build up of the soil (Sharma et al., 1991).

kg/ha respectively as basal dose. No much more

Suitable cropping pattern helps the farmer to

additional fertilizers were added for intercropping.

become more benefited and also increase the

The fertilizer dose was as same as for sole cotton.

intensity of cropping (Aal, 1991 and Raghuwanshi et

The rest 69 kg nitrogen was applied in 3 equal splits

al. 1994).

The present studies were, therefore,

at 25, 42 and 55 days after seed sowing as top

carried out to introduce a suitable cotton based

dressing. In case of potato and maize additional urea

intercropping in the greater Rangpur district, which

was used as top dressing.

productivity

intercropping

system.

in

maize-bush

Intercropping

is

44

and

Radish

were

sown

at

the

In case of cotton +

Int. J. Agr. & Agri. R. Lalshak, cotton + Radish and cotton mungbean

of choloropyriphose and pyrithroid was applied

intercropping, 5 rows of Lalshak, and radish and 4

against sucking and chewing pest. Attack of

rows of Mungbean were sown in between two cotton

spodoptera was Sevier but drastic control measures

rows. In case of cotton + wheat intercropping 4 rows

kept the insects under control. Hand picking, light

wheat was sown between two cotton rows. For cotton

trap and zollaghur (Molasses) trap were also used to

potato intercropping one (1) row potato was sown

kill moths and adults of the insects. Tilt, indofill and

between the two rows of cotton. In wheat + Maize,

bavestone were sprayed to protect the fungal

potato

Mungbean

diseases. Data were collected on different yield

intercropping one row maize one row mungbean was

contributing traits of cotton, wheat, potato, Red

sown in the cotton rows (after uprooting). Weeding

amaranth, Radish and Mungbean. Mean values are

was performed two times. Two times irrigation was

used for statistical analyses according to A Gomez

done at the third week of November and the last

and a Gomez and Zamal et al. (1982).

+

maize

and

wheat

+

week of December. After 25 days of sowing

1st

spray

Table 1. Mean performance of different yield attributes of cotton.

Name of the Treatment

Monopodial Branches/ Plant 1.27 0.77 0.23 0.50 1.23 1.25 NS

Sympodial Branches/ Plant 16.67 16.33 16.27 16.87 16.07 16.50 NS

Plant Height (cm)

Boll per Plant

1. T1 103.13 25.07 2. T2 88.23 19.63 3. T3 96.40 20.37 4. T4 100.2 24.77 5. T5 95.67 23.03 6. T6 93.4 21.75 Level of * NS significant LSD (0.5) 0.103 2.65 5.62 12.57 % CV 6.85 8.57 12.39 29.57 *=Significant at 5% level, **= Significant at 1% level ns=Non-significance

Single Boll Weight

Yield kg/ha

5.67 5.59 5.72 5.65 5.72 5.50 NS

1474 1148 1358 1266 1402 1347 NS

0.21 1.94

2.23 21.98

Table 2. Mean performance of different yield attributes of wheat.

Name of the Treatment

Number of Tillering per Plant 5.47 4.67 5.03 4.87 ns

Plant Height (cm)

Length of Panicle

Spike let per Penical

1. T1 101.97 10.31 47.47 2. T2 100.40 10.41 51.23 3. T3 100.80 10.58 51.83 4. T4 103.83 10.50 50.00 Level of ns ns ns significant LSD (0.5) 1.44 5.5 12.29 7.83 % CV 1.44 1.72 5.88 7.82 *=Significant at 5% level, **= Significant at 1% level ns=Non-significance

Weight of 1000 Grain(gm)

Yield kg/ha

48.33 46.67 46.67 48.33 ns

2759 2675 2922 3006 ns

4.41 4.04

3.11 13.54

Results and discussion

intercrops was shown in the Table- 3.Variable cost,

Effects of intercropping on the quality of cotton were

sowing time and cost benefit ratio were shown in the

minor and mostly below detection threshold (Zhang

Table no 4 and 5 respectively. The cost benefit ration

et al., 2007). Mean performance of the tested

of the different intercropping of the previous year

treatments for different yield attributes of cotton

was shown in the Table- 6. No significant effect was

were shown in the Table-1 and for wheat Table-2.

found in yield contributing traits of cotton from

The mean yield of three replications for different

different inter cropping (table-1). Only cotton plant

45

Int. J. Agr. & Agri. R. height showed significant result. The highest plant

of seed cotton was harvested from the treatment T1

height was observed in T1 (cotton + Red amaranth +

also.

wheat) + maize + sun hemp, inter cropping, the lowest was in T6 (sole cotton). The highest amount Table 3. Mean yield and added crop residues in the soil from different intercropping.

Name of the Yield of Yield of Yield of Seed Yield of Treatments Lalshak Radish Mung Cotton potato kg/ha kg/ha bean Yield kg/ha kg/ha kg/ha 1. T1-Co+Ra+W +Ma+S 2. T2 – Co+Mu+ W+Ma+S 3. T3-Co+Mu+W Ma+S 4. T4-Co+Mu+W + Mu+S 5. T5 –Co+Ra+Po + Ma+S 6. T6 – Sole cotton

Yield-7000 R-2000 -

-

-

1474 R-3045 5000 1148 R-1500 R-2469 900 1358 R-6000 R-2140 950 1266 R-6150 R-2346 6600 1402 20000 R-1475 R-3539 R-11000 1347 R-3360 R=Crop residue. a=Maize, Co=Cotton, Mu=Mungbean,W=Wheat, Ra= Red amaranth S=sunhemp

Yield of Wheat kg/ha 2759 R-5062 2675 R-5103 2922 R-5267 3006 R-5597 -

Table. 4. List of variable cost.

Name of Crops

Cost for land preparation

Cost for seed

Fertilizer cost

Pesticide cost

(1)Cotton (2)Red amaranth (3)Radish (4)Mungbean (5)Wheat (6)Maize (7)Potato (8)sunhemp

20.33 70.00 30.06

2.50 15.00 15.00 10.00 30.00 30.00 315.00 21.25

175.82 30.00 30.00 100.00 -

90.35 40.00 97.50 -

Interculture operation and harvesting cost 112.50 75.00 75.00 75.00 345.00 200.00 167.50 30.06

Total cost/3 decimal

Total variable cost/ha

351.50 90.00 90.00 125.00 405.00 260.00 750.00 81.37

28940 7410 7410 10291 33345 21406 61750 6700

From the Table 2 it was observed that no significant

and cost benefit ratio of different included intercrops

effect was found for different yield attributes of

in the year 2008-09 were shown in table-6. It was

wheat but highest amount of wheat was harvested

seen that the highest BCR was obtained from T5 -2.37

from the treatment T4 –(cotton + mungbean + wheat

(cotton + Red amaranth +potato + maize +

+

(3006

sunhemp) which was followed by T1 (cotton +Red

kg/ha).From the table-3 it was seen that the highest

amaranth + wheat + maize + sunhemp) - 1.98 T2

amount of crop residues added in the soil from the T5

(cotton + radish) + wheat + maize + sunhemp-1.89

treatments

T3--(cotton + mungbean + wheat + mungbean + sun

maize

+

sun

hemp)

(Red

intercropping

amaranth

+cotton+potato)=1475+3539+11000=16014

kg

hemp)-1.82 and T4 (cotton + mungbean) + wheat +

which was followed by T4 (14093 kg/ha) and T3

maize+ sunhemp-1.81where as the lowest BCR was

(13407 kg/ha). Still the return from T5 is the highest

obtained from sole cotton.

in respect of crop yield (table-5) and added crop residues (table-3). In the Table-6, the results of the

It may be concluded that accommodation of five

same treatments of the previous year have been

crops in a cotton field in a year will be very

shown. The yield, gross return, cost and net return

courageous to the farmers. All the test of intercrops

46

Int. J. Agr. & Agri. R. may bring good economical returns to the farmers, at

intercropping for the farmers of northern district

the same time; fertility of the soil will be increased

because wheat and potato is the popular crop in

due to addition of crop residues. Among the

northern region of Bangladesh.

combination of four crops with cotton T1 is more profitable but T4 and T5 will be the popular Table 5. Cost benefit ratio from different intercropping-2009-10.

Treatments T1

T2

T3

T4

T5

T6

Crops

Sowing Date

Harvesting Date

Yield kg/ha

Cotton Red amaranth Wheat Maize Sunhemp Total Cotton Radish Wheat Maize Sunhemp Total Cotton Mung bean Wheat Mung bean Sunhemp Total Cotton Mung bean Wheat Maize Sunhemp Total Cotton Red amaranth Potato Maize Sunhemp Total Cotton

29/7/09 29/7/09 18/11/09 14/2/10 1/6/10

13/2/10 6/9/09 23/3/10 30/5/10 15/7/10

1482 2058 2882 3251 30000

29/7/09 29/7/09 18/11/09 14/2/10 1/6/10

13/2/10 11/9/09 23/3/10 30/5/10 15/7/10

1153 2058 2635 2889 30000

29/7/09 29/7/09 18/11/09 14/2/10 1/6/10

13/2/10 11/10/09 23/3/10 30/5/10 15/7/10

1357 535 2923 470 30000

29/7/09 29/7/09 18/11/09 14/2/10 1/6/10

13/2/10 11/10/09 23/3/10 30/5/10 15/7/10

1276 494 3005 2510 30000

29/7/09 29/7/09 7/6/10 23/2/10 7/6/10

13/2/10 6/9/09 20/7/10 6/6/10 20/7/10

1400 2141 17455 8206 30000

29/7/09

13/2/10

1523

Grosse Return/ha (taka) 59280 14408 48330 42263 30000 122018 46107 10292 46107 37537 30000 102506 54360 21407 51150 18800 30000 126917 51046 19760 52590 32630 30000 123096 56000 14984 122183 106678 30000 193167 60927

Variable Cost/ha (taka) 28940 7410 33342 21406 6700 82042 28940 7410 33342 21406 670 82042 28940 10292 33342 10219 6700 84992 28940 10292 33342 21406 6700 84924 28940 7410 61750 22406 6700 110450 41290

Net Income/ ha(taka) 30340 6998 14985 20857 2330039973 17167 2882 12765 16151 23300 20464 25400 11115 17808 8581 23300 41973 22107 9468 19284 11224 23300 38509 27060 7575 60433 84272 23300 82718 31986

Benefit Cost Ratio 1.76

1.54

1.55

1.64

2.38

1.47

Cotton=40Taka/kg,Wheat=17.5taka/kg,Lalshak=7 Taka/kg,Radish=5Taka/kg,Mung bean=40Taka/kg, Potato=7Taka/kg,Landleige=12350Taka/ha/year Netincome=Grossreturn-Variablecost-Landleigedrent

Benefit

Cost Ratio=Gross return/Total variable cost.

Table 6. Yield and cost- benefit ratio from different intercropping during the year 2008-2009.

Treatments

Crops

Sowing Date

Harvesting Date

Yield kg/ha

Grosse Return/ha

Variable Cost/ha

Net Income/ha

T1

Cotton Red amaranth Wheat Maize Sunhemp Total Cotton Radish Wheat Maize Sunhemp Total Cotton Mung bean

20/7/ 08 20/ 7/ 08 20/11/08 20/2/09 20/5/09

20/2/09 20/8/08 25/4/09 18/5/09 10/7/09

1500 4500 2960 5500 25700

20/7/ 08 20/ 7/ 08 20/11/08 20/2/09 20/5/09

20/2/09 25/8/08 25/4/09 18/5/09 10/7/09

1458 4245 2800 5356 24347

20/7/ 08 20/ 7/ 08

20/2/09 20/10/08

1347 747

60000 31500 47360 55000 25700 217560 58320 25470 44800 53560 24347 206497 53880 29880

28091 7800 33342 21406 6700 97339+12350 28091 7410 33342 21406 6700 96949+12350 28091 10291

31909 23700 14018 33393 19000 122220 30229 18060 11458 32154 17647 109548 25789 19589

T2

T3

47

Benefit Cost Ratio 1.98

1.89

1.82

Int. J. Agr. & Agri. R.

T4

T5

T6

Wheat Mung bean Sunhemp Total Cotton Mung bean Wheat Maize Sunhemp Total Cotton Red amaranth Potato Maize Sunhemp Total Cotton

20/11/08 20/2/09 20/5/09

25/4/09 18/5/09 10/7/09

3000 700 24047

20/7/ 08 20/ 7/ 08 20/11/08 20/2/09 20/5/09

20/2/09 20/10/08 25/4/09 18/5/09 10/7/09

1420 750 2690 4847 24980

20/7/ 08 20/ 7/ 08 27/11/08 20/2/09 20/5/09

20/2/09 20/8/08 27/2/09 18/5/09 10/7/09

1498 5000 16000 5600 2500

20/7/08

20/2/09

1550

48000 28000 24047 183807 56800 30000 43040 48470 24980 203290 59920 35000 152520 56000 25000 328240 62000

33342 10291 6700 88715+12350 28091 10291 33342 21406 6700 99830+12350 28091 7800 62000 21406 6700 125997+12350 28091+12350

14685 17709 17347 95092 28709 19709 9698 27064 18280 103460 31829 27200 90320 34594 8300 202243 33909

Cotton=40Taka/kg,Wheat=16taka/kg,Lalshak=7 Taka/kg,Radish=6Taka/kg,Mung bean=40Taka/kg, Potato=9.25Taka/kg,Landleige=12350Taka/ha/year.Netincome=Grossreturn-Variablecost-landleigedrent BenefitCostRatio=Gross return/Total variable cost.

Fig. 1. Crop calendar of intercropping.

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49