Yield analysis of chickpea (Cicer arietinum) + Indian mustard (Brassica juncea) intercropping system through computation of intercropping indices

A field experiment was carried out during the winter (rabi) season of 20092010 and 20102011 at Chatha, Jammu to assess the yields of chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) and Indian mustard [Brassica juncea (L.) czernj. & cosson] by computing intercropping indices along with weed-management practices. Significantly higher yields of chickpea (903 kg/ha) and Indian mustard (1,156 kg/ha) were obtained in their respective sole crops. The highest land-equivalent ratio, aggressivity, land-use efficiency, production efficiency and relative crowding coefficient (RCC) were obtained in additive series and replacement series, whereas highest relative yield total (1.30) was re- corded in replacement series. Among the weed-management treatments, pendimethalin @ 1 kg/ha recorded higher value of land-use efficiency (44.52) and production efficiency (7.35), followed by fluchloralin @ 1 kg/ha. Ap- plication of pendimethalin @ 1 kg/ha as pre-emergence recorded the maximum net returns ( 20,373/ha) and ben- efit: cost ratio (1.71), followed by the application of fluchloralin @ 1 kg/ha.