Climate Resilient Intercropping System under Drought Condition in NICRA Village of Marathwada Region of Maharashtra

In rainfed and dry regions of Marathwada, sole cropping is not much remunerative in the present scenario of climate change in agriculture to fulfill the diverse demands of consumers and burgeoning population. Hence, studies on intercropping systems were conducted in NICRA cluster villages of Aurangabad district from the period 2014 to 2016 as part of National Innovations in Climate Resilient Agriculture (NICRA). In this location Bt Cotton +Green gram/Black gram (1: 1) recorded higher yield and economics as compared to the farmers practice of growing sole Bt Cotton crop. The yield observations were recorded at the harvest of the respective crops. The yields of intercrops were converted into main crop equivalent yields taking into account the actual yields (kg/ha) attained by crops along with the prices (per kg) of the crops. The data were subjected to t test analysis for determining its significance between the treatments and to draw valid conclusions. The level of significance used was 5 %. The rainwater use efficiency (kg/ha-mm) of a crop or cropping system was determined by considering the crop equivalent yield (kg/ha) attained by the system and crop seasonal rainfall (mm) received from sowing to harvest of a given crop or the long duration crop in the cropping system. This intercropping system in Bt. cotton has wider scope to upscale in all districts of Marathwada region of Maharashtra in assured rainfall zone and scarcity zone area through cluster frontline demonstration on pulse programme under NFSM. Improved variety of green gram BM-2003-2 and black gram TAU-1& BDU-1 need to be included in the pulse production programme for enhancing the production of Green gram and Black gram ultimately pulses. Hence, adoption of intercropping systems in rainfed black soils is climate resilient system and also helps in improving food security in rainfed areas.