Journal of Agronomy 5 (2): 228-231, 2006 ISSN 1812-5379 © 2006 Asian Network for Seientifie Information Banana Based Intereropping System in North-west Part of Bangladesh "MLZ, Rahman, 'M.H. Rahman, 'M.E. Haque, "LH. Kabir, S.L. Naher, 'KMK.B. Ferdaus, 'A.K.M. Nazmal Huda, °M.S. Imran and °M. Khalekuzzaman “Institute of Biological Sciences, ‘Department of Genetics and Breeding, University of Rajshohi, Rajshahi-6205, Bangladesh ‘Abstract: An experiment was conducted to find outa suitable banane (Ranginsagar and Sabari) based iniererop combination of potato and mustard in the research field of Intute of Biological Science of Rajshahi University Rajshahi-6205, during Rabi season of 2003-2004, Average over the two year, it revealed tht the highest yield cf banana was observed in Ranginsagar + potato (64.72 t ha~ and the lowest in sole mustard (1.92 t ha), Combinations of Ranginsagar + potato interropping showed better performance than other combination and sole crop in respect of gross retum (Tk. 735219 har”), net retin (Tk. 359794 ha™) and benefit cost ratio (1.95). ‘The highest land equivalent ratio (LER) was 1.82 in Ranginsagar ~ Potato followed by Sabari + potato (1.79) and the lowest in Sabari + mustard (1.60), The economic return was more in intereropping than all sole crops, Key words: Intercropping, ranginsagar, sabari, potato, mustard, equivalent yield, land equivalent ratio, benefit cost ratio INTRODUCTION Bananas and plantains (Musa sp) are the most Widely consumed fruit and sts annual production is estimated t be approximately $8 mt Anonymous, 1999), making them one of the largest food erops in the world after rice, maize and wheat (Anonymous, 1997) Its the most important starch rich horticultural erop of Bangladesh cuitvated over an area of more than 105835 acres with annual production of 606160 mt (Anonymous, 2001). Potato [Solanum tuberasum 1.) is a wintae mbes vegetables which ranks first in respect of use and production in almost all parts of Bangladesh. Mustard [Brassica napus 1] is a major oil se0d crop of Bangladesh. It covers 59.6% of te total oil seed area and produces 60% of the total il seed production of the country (Ancaymous, 2001) Interoropping or mixed cropping farms is @ cropping practice where total production fom a unit area of land in a farming year is achieved through growing two or more crops simitaneously inthe same land are, particularly in tropics (Anrews and Kessam, 1976) and. in densely populated countries, sale crop in sequence or a combinations of mixed and sole ereps in sequence. Intereropping gives a greater stability of yield over ‘monoculture (Willey andl Reddy, 1981). Besides, it often provides higher economic and monetary return and total productions per hectare compared to monsoulture (Grimes e¢ al, 1983; Kurata, 1986) and ensures greater resources use efficiency (Herrara and Harwood, 1974; Pathick and Malla, 1979), It has been reported from many countries viz., Banglacesh, Tneia, China, Taiwan, Sri “Lanka, Vietnam, «Africa and Latin Ameriea (Beets, 1977) ‘Rajshali is the very potential area for production banane, potato and mustard. Traditionally, the farmers of Rajshahi area cultivate long duration banana as well a8 short duration potato and mustard as a mono crop. The farmers don't know how to produce mere production from per unit area, how to cultivate banana, potato anel mustard simultaneously. Indeed, such type of investigation in banana, potato and mustard is seants. Therefore, the present study was under taken to find out yield, cost and net retum of the intereropping system in order to select the best banana based one. MATERIALS AND METHODS. ‘The experiment was conducted at the research field of Institute of Biological Sciences of Rajshahi University, Rajshahi-6205 in the North-west region of Bangladesh during the period of Rabi season of 2003-2004 in Randomized Complete Block Design with three dispersed replications for selecting respons. The txt plot size was 6x4 m. Banana spacing (plant to plant 2:2 m apart} was maintained to accommodate potato and mustard per unit plot. Two genotypes of banana, namely Ranginsagar (AAA; 31= 33) and Sabari (AB, 3n= 33) were collected from the farmers field and potato and mustard seeds were from BADC form Nowdapara, Totally eight different Corresponding Author: MZ. Ralman, situte of Biological Sciences, University of Rajah, Rajsbahi-6205, Bangladesh 2sJ. Agrom., 5 ( treatments were taken in the study, such as sole Ranginsagar, sole Sabai, sole potato, sole mustard, Ranginsagar + potato, Renginsegar +-mustard, Sabari + povao and Sabari + mustard. The land of the experimental site was medium high and the soil was silty loam with pi 6.0 to 7.0, 45 to 50 days old banana seedlings were transplanted into the respective pits on first weeks of November in both the year, The seeds of potato and mustard were planted as sole and intererop between the two rows after planting the banana in both the year, The land was prepared to fine lth and fertilizers were applied 1s shown in Table 1 All the fertilizers exoopt urea were applied during the final land preparation in sole banana but in sole potato, mustard as well as in intereropping combinations 40% urea and MP, entire quantity of TSP, gypsum and Zn were broadcast at the time of final land preparation and the remaining urea and MP were applied into equal splits at 35 days and 55 days after transplanting, Necessary intercultural operations were done to facilitate the growth and development ofthe crop. Marketable potato, mustard and banana were harvested at 100-110, 90-100, 300-310 (Ranginsagar) 375-380 (Sabari) days, respectively after transplanting, Collected data were analyzed by following standard statistical methods (Equivalent yield, LER and BCR etc.) and significant text was computed ftom F test and LSD (0.05) technique. Banana equivalent yield was calculated by converting yield of intererops to the yield of banana on. the basis of prevailing market prices of the individual crops. The formula is as follows: Banana equivalent yield ~ ¥,+ (¥, x PD! Py Where: Y, = Yield of banana Y, ~ Yield of intererop (potato/mustard) P, = Selling price of intercrop (petato/mustatd) P, = Selling price of banana Land Equivalent Berean. itercrop yield of banana Sole cop yield of banana _,lnererop yield of potato mustard sole orop yield of patato/mustard Benefit Cost Ratio (BCR) ~ Gross retum/Cest of cultivation RESULTS AND DISCUSSION Yield and yield components of banana: There were significant effeets of potato and mustard on number of 228.231, 2006 ‘Table Dosages of wvous flies plied pe tare of tnd Cow ang “remnet ata) ran Ranaiesee ole 25 0) a2 Soha oi 2s > 400-29 Pot soe 2s 1500394 Muaedtvoke 3S a 4 Raine pao 2 i ane an Ringing miied 25 300 100 02S Sohn pete 28 am 19 403) Sahai mugaed 35 300100 40039, hands per bunch, number of finger per hand, total number of finger per baneh, finger weight (g). buned weight (ka) and yield per plot (kg) but no significant effect was found con number of leaves per plant, finger length (em) and finger girth (em) (Table 2), Al the intrerop combinations also performed better yield than those of sole erop but tho individual yield of banana i decreased! in imererop combinations. Superior values of the above yield and yield attributes of banana were recorded trom Ranginsagar + potato combination closely followed by Sabri*potato combination, On the other hand, correspondingly lowest values were obtained from Sabari + mustard combination The yield of banana (Ranginsagar and Sebari) decreased 8-10 and 13-18%, respectively Similar result was observed by Devos and Wilson (1979) ‘nfood crops, maize cassava and eoseyam with plantains. ‘The yield variation among two different banana crops Ranginsagar and Sabari) was due to the reason of bearing habit and genetic yield potentialities, On the other hand, the reduction in infereropping situation might bo the cause of facing competition with the companion erop for space, light, water and nutrients that caused reduetion Jn oumber of hands, total number of fingers and finger weight (g). Maximum reduetion was recorded in banana (Sabariy= mustard. This is because, mustard is shallow inrgated crop but banana (Sabari sa deep irigated fruit top. So, due the excess irrigation during intereultural operations of banana vegetative growth ane grain yield decreased remarkably Yield of potato and mustard: Yield of potato was significantly affected by different erap combinations (Table 3), The highest yield 30.50 tha) was observed in sole erop of potato and lowest (26.12 t ha") in the combination of banana (Saber) + potato, Simi, sole ‘mustard produced significantly higher yield (1.92 tha") than those in otter combinations, The main reason of redluction of yield of the component crops were de to lower number of erops per unit plot as banana covered few land in intereropping combination. Banana equivalent yield: All the intercropping situations showed higher equivalent yield than that of soleJ. Agron., § 2) 228. ‘oble 2: Vid an yield coms 231, 2006 characters fanaa atoenced by nero Noot Not Noo ToblNoof Figer —Fiiger Fag Bunch Vil ‘Teenments leafplaytandvtunch fingerstand Gingetuneh eng om) gh (om) weigh) welts) ple) Ranginsagar Ga) 1007" BAD 1402 oF 13210 Stan se 8 on be ‘sts Ranginsgainetto 975828 88 Ranginspevinerd 962822 Le 2 Slur pote 1030 Gas uss 20 Saami oem i son ro i 7 * 2 Lsp es XS ost __aos or Significant at Soke ‘Tuble3: Yield f nana, potato, mustard nd eval yield of sled ———inregping tem Binsia Posie Mistard Bana ied yield yield eile ‘renments fhe) (rh Wha) eld a LER Raine Gel) 5880 a Sus ne asa 0 Potto oe) soso! 3050 MusrdGoe) dg Ln Ranginaee pate 3678 2648 an Ranlipereaniral S61 las fan Sahuripomto 23652612 88 Siarimird 2312 182M LD Lea annie anor oie aio iguana level, * Sigua ot 18x cropping. Among the intereropping combinations the highest banana equivalent yield (6472 t ha”) was obiained from banana (Ranginsagar) intrcropped with potato and lowest (2624 tha”) from banana (Sabari with rmustard, The equivalent yield variation was due to their ‘yield and economie value (Table 3). LER: Land equivalent ratio was higher in all intercropping than sole cropping. The combination of banana (Ranginsager) + potato gave the highest LER (1.68) followed by LER (1.62) with banana (Sabri) + potato aid the lowest LER (1.42) was observed with banana (Sabari) + mustard, The LER value 1.68 in banana (Ranginsagar) + poiaio indicated that by intereropping banana (Ranginsagar) and potato at @ spacing 2*2 m for both banana (Ranginsagar and Sabari) and potato, a farmer could produce 36.78 tons of banana (Ranginsagar) and 26.45 tons of potato from one hectare of land instead of growing them separately in 1.68 ha of land to obtain the same combined yield. Kasture and Mangitear (1985) reposted that in an intereropping system crop plants enter into complex interaction with each other resulting in either increasing or decreasing the total production. Similar result was observed by Qasem et al, (1986) in Chili + maize intereropping. Economic analysis: All the intercropping combinations showed higher monetary retum than that of in monocropping (Table 4), The highest gross retum (Tk 735219ha"!) was recorded from banana Signin wt Dolev NS ~ Non Saint “Table: Ezonmnic sas of sl nd intrergping combinations ‘Gr ehim TVG RAVC “reste kh’) Tk) Tk) CR Rangiase Go) -HoTse ONS 20S Lat Sata Goi) smo 7279 ass 88 Potto ol) 68000190679 » Muted Gok) Stam 16870 5 Ranginseaipaato 738219375425 19s Ranalier* Mind 451219 244058 Sabu petate sisigo 328148 SauuriPrmugaed 33551019272 “oval vata eat, RAVE ~ Reh above varie (Ranginsegar) + potato, Intereropping of banana (Sebari) with potato and with mustard did not perform well as compared to intereropping with banana (Ranginsagar) ut produced higher gross retum than those of the sole. Agrewal (1995) also obtained more yield and more profit from intereropping than in sole erop system, The highest net return over variable cost was obtained from banana (Ranginsagar)+potate which had the highest benefit cost ratio (1,95). The net return over variable cost and benefit cost ratio were observed in banana (Sabari) + mustard (Tk. 150738 he~‘and 1.68), respectively. This is because mustard is shallow itrigated crop, which was damaged due to excess irigation for deep irrigated banana crop. In addition, mustard is light favored crops, which was also damaged due to shading effect of banana, Another important reason is, that genetically mustard is low yielding than that of another intererop, potato, On the other hand, banana equivalent yield, LER, gross retum, net retum and BCR were maximum in banana Ranginsagar)potato followed by banana (Sabari) + potato. These might be due to the following reasons: + Banana is deep irrigated fruit crops. 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