B. GANGAIAH* AND M. S. KUNDU
Division of Natural Resource Management,
Division of Animal Science
ICAR-Central Island Agricultural Research Institute, Port Blair,
Andaman & Nicobar Islands-744 105, India
*(e-mail : bandlagangaiah1167@gmail.com)
(Received : 6 February 2020; Accepted : 1 March 2020)
SUMMARY
Andaman & Nicobar Islands dairy farming progress was severely constrained by fodder shortages and stakeholders were not aware of fodder cultivation. In this context, 4 fodder crops were introduced for the first time (4 sole and 2 intercrops) and tested for their fodder production in RBD with three replications at Port Blair under rain fed situations for two kharif seasons (2015 and 2016). The results revealed that additive series (1:1) intercropping of sweet sorghum/maize with cowpea having 19.5 & 1.5 t/ha and Rs. 52, 223/ha of cereal fodder equivalent & crude protein yield and gross income as the best system. Intercropping systems on average have a Land and income equivalent ratio (L/IER) values of 1.30 / 1.25 as compared to their sole crops. Hence, additive series intercropping of sweet sorghum / maize with cowpea (1:1) was recommended for augmenting fodder supplies in the islands.
Key words:Additive series, cowpea, fodder, intercropping, land equivalent ratio, maize, multicut sorghum, sweet sorghum and crude protein