Revealing seeding combinations of chili with brinjal, radish and coriander in a mixed cropping system to increase the productivity and profitability in Char ecosystem of subtropical climate

Abstract

Mixed cropping is an important cropping system in char areas without an optimum seeding combination of chili, brinjal, radish and coriander. To identify this an experiment was conducted in two consecutive years to find suitable seeding ratio and to ensure maximization of yield and economic returns. The experiment was designed in a randomized complete block design with three replications. Four mixed cropping ratios with one sole chili viz. Chili (sole), 100% chili + 70% brinjal + 20% Radish + 10% coriander, 100% chili + 50% brinjal + 30% radish + 20% coriander, 100% chili + 30% brinjal + 40% radish + 30% coriander, 100% chili + 80% brinjal + 70% radish + 50% coriander were evaluated. The highest chili equivalent yield 29.9 t ha-1 (29.7 t ha-1 in 2019–20 and 30.1 t ha-1 in 2020–21), gross return (10512 USD ha-1) and gross margin (9233 USD ha-1) was found from 100% chili + 30% brinjal + 40% radish + 30% coriander seeding ratio. On the other hand, the lowest chili equivalent yield 11.8 t ha-1 (11.7 t ha-1 in 2019–20 and 11.9 t ha-1 in 2020–21), gross return (4167 USD ha-1) and gross margin (2845 USD ha-1) was found from Chili (sole) treatment. The maximum MBCR (241.7) was also recorded from the same 100% chili mixed cropped with 30% brinjal+ 40% radish + 30% coriander seeding combination. Finally, the combination of 100% chili + 30% brinjal + 40% radish + 30% coriander seeds has found great productivity and profitability in mixed cropping system.