Abstract

Intercropping of short duration crop with sugarcane is a remunerative practices under different irrigation levels. This study was initiated with the objective of determining and evaluating different irrigation depth and intervals under intercropping of sugarcane with soybean on yield and water use efficiency. The experiment was carried out with three depth of (75, 100 and 125% ET) in combination with three irrigation interval of (7, 12 and 16 days) with three replication of randomized complete block design (RCBD). The result revealed that it was noted highly significant difference among treatment on stalk count, tillering, stalk weight and stalk height with a highest value of 116 × 103 ha-1, 126.44 × 103 ha-1, 1.89 kg stalk-1 and 2.87 cm, respectively at 100% ET Irrigation depth with interval of 7 days, 75%ET irrigation depth with 12 days interval, 75%ET with 7 days and 75% ET irrigation depth with 12 days irrigation interval. However no significant difference was observed among treatments on cane yield, sugar quality parameters and sugar yield. It was observed highly significant difference among treatments on biomass, plant population, pod per plant and seed per pod of soybean while no significant difference was noted on weight of 1000 seeds and soybean yield. Based on the result obtained it was concluded that intercropping is good practices in realizing and achieving a sustainable advantage of farming at different irrigation levels. It is recommended to use the treatment received 75% ET of irrigation depth and 12 days of irrigation interval especially when shortage of water supply is occurred. It has a net benefit cost ratio of with the advantage of 86.47% and 83.34% over the control. For further recommendation of the treatment it is better to verify T4 (75% ET with 12 days), T6 (125% ET with 12 days) and T10 (Conventional) irrigation depth and irrigation interval.

Keywords: Intercropping; Irrigation depth; Irrigation interval; Water use efficiency; Net benefit cost ratio