Multi-tier cropping system for profitability and scalability in

vegetable production

Dr. Shashank Shekhar SolankeyAssistant Professor-cum-Jr. Scientist

Department of Horticulture (Vegetable & Floriculture),Bihar Agricultural University, Sabour (Bhagalpur) – 813 210, Bihar

E-mail: shashank.hort@gmail.com

Two or more crops of different heights are grown simultaneously on a piece of land in a certain period.

Sunlight, nutrient, land, water, and space are utilized in the most efficient and economic way.

Increased biological diversity and higher production stability (Singh et al., 2014).

Improve soil health and physical property of soil.

Multi-storied /multi-tier/ multi-layer cropping system

Okra + Radish + Cluster Bean + Beet RootOkra + Radish + Beetroot + CorianderPointed Gourd + Elephant Foot Yam + CucumberBanana + Cauliflower + Beet RootGuava + Turmeric + Elephant Foot YamElephant Foot Yam + Okra + Ridge GourdPotato + Sweet Corn + OkraPapaya/ Banana + Elephant Foot Yam Papaya/ Banana + Ginger + ColocasiaSugarcane + Okra + Onion

Examples of vegetable based multi-storied cropping system

Better use of growth resources including sunlight,

nutrient and water.

Yield stability (suppress the growth of weeds).

Ecological stability i.e. improved soil health and agro-

ecosystem.

Flow of income during cropping periods.

Other miscellaneous benefits like distribution of labour,

physical support of one crop to another and home

gardening leading to more food supply.

Advantages of multi-storied cropping

system

Labour intensive.

Chemical control of weeds, pests and diseases

may be difficult.

Difficulty in mechanization.

Adverse competitive effect or by allelopathy.

Disadvantages of multi-storied

cropping

Elephant foot yam: A profitable crop for vegetable based multi-tier cropping system Pointed gourd + Elephant foot yam + Cowpea/ bitter

gourd

Selection of varieties:

Elephant foot yam : Gajendra, Sree Padma, Kusum

Pointed gourd : Rajendra Parwal-1, Rajendra Parwal-

2

Bitter gourd : Pusa Do Mausami, Pusa Vishesh

Cowpea : Kashi Kanchan, Kashi Gauri,

Arka Garima

Elephant foot yam based multi-tier vegetable cropping system

Source : Singh et al. (2013). Technology identified for enhanced productivity, Zonal Project Director Zone II, Kolkata, W.B., pp. 13.

Vegetables like bitter gourd, ridge gourd and bottle gourd were cultivated making bamboo structure (machan). The vacant space below the machan was fully utilized in this method.Bitter gourd and elephant foot yam - best in respect of average return.

Sole crop of Elephant foot yam Elephant foot yam + Bitter gourd

Elephant foot yam + Ridge gourd Elephant foot yam + Bottle gourd

Elephant foot yam based multi-layer vegetable cropping system

Considering market price (per kg) of bitter gourd = Rs. 10, ridge gourd = Rs. 6, bottle gourd = Rs. 3, Elephant foot yam = 15 and man days = Rs.150/ day.

TreatmentsYield (q/ha) Main Crop Yield (q/ha) Companion

Crop EFY YieldEquivalent2010-11 2011-12 Mean 2010-11 2011-12 Mean

Sole Elephant Foot Yam (cv. Gajendra) 373.55 378.60 376.07 - - - -

Elephant Foot Yam + Bitter gourd (cv. Hybrid US6214)

372.00 376.50 374.25 138.80 137.50 138.15 92.10

Elephant foot yam + Ridge gourd (cv. local)

362.00 362.65 362.32 147.30 147.97 147.64 59.06

Elephant foot yam + Bottle gourd (cv. Hybrid Mahima)

327.40 333.10 330.25 251.60 247.90 249.75 49.95

CD at 5 % 8.39 5.50 6.94 8.47 9.27 4.25 -

Source: Singh, R.P., Bhushan S., Kumar S. and Shanker R (2013). Yield assessment of elephant foot yam grown under multilayer vegetable cropping system. The Bioscan, 8(4): 1237-1239.

Table 1: Yield of elephant foot yam and companion crops under multi-layer vegetable cropping system

Vegetable cultivation under three-tier systems

Source : Srivastava A.P., Rao, D.R., Basade, Y., Singh A.K., Sikarwar M. and Ashar, N. (2013). Livelihood Enhancement through Improved Vegetable Cultivation in Backward Districts of India National Agricultural Innovation Project Indian Council of Agricultural Research Krishi Anusandhan Bhavan-II New Delhi, pp. 31-33.

Name of Technology HH/ Area demonstrated (ha)

Productivity (q/ha) Income (Rs/ha)

Bitter gourd + Cowpea + Elephant foot yam

130/35 Bitter gourd 273 q/ha + Cowpea 120 q/ha + Elephant foot yam 350 q/ha

3,60,000

Pointed gourd + Okra + Cucumber 80/10 Pointed gourd 195 q/ha + Okra 135

q/ha + Cucumber 113 q/ha, 2,29,000

Pointed gourd + Okra + Amaranths 56/7.2 Pointed gourd 203 q/ha + Okra 121

q/ha + Amaranths 77 q/ha 2,25,000

Traditional method (Bitter gourd) - 125-150 45000-50000

Table 2: Multi-tier vegetable cultivation in Bihar

Source : Srivastava A.P., Rao, D.R., Basade, Y., Singh A.K., Sikarwar M. and Ashar, N. (2013). Livelihood Enhancement through Improved Vegetable Cultivation in Backward Districts of India National Agricultural Innovation Project Indian Council of Agricultural Research, Krishi Anusandhan Bhavan-II New Delhi, pp. 31-33.

Turmeric and elephant foot yam as multi-tier intercrops in medium aged guava

orchard

Source : Chandra K.K. (2014). Evaluation of growth and economic parameters of Curcuma longa and Amorphophallus paeoniifolius intercrops in medium aged Pisidium guajava orchard. Caribbean Journal of Science and Technology, 2: 392-398.

Economic performances of C. longa and A. paeoniifolius as intercrops under P. guajava orchard

C. longa

C. longa

C. longa

C. longa

Growing of multi-tier seed spices with vegetable crops

Source : Kumari, G. (2014). Studies on intercropping of seed spices with vegetable crops. M.Sc. (Ag.) Thesis, Department of Horticulture (Vegetable & Floriculture), Bihar Agricultural College, Sabour, Bhagalpur-813 210, Bihar, pp. 1-75.

Vegetables Spices

1. Cabbage (var. Bajrang) 1. Coriander (var. Ajmer Coriander-1)

2. Garden Pea (var. Swarna Amar) 2. Funnel (var. Ajmer Funnel-1)

3. Carrot (var. Pusa Kesar) 3. Ajwain (var. Rajendra Mani)

Treatments Yield (kg/plot) Gross return (Rs/ha)

Net return (Rs/ha)

Benefit : cost ratio

Pea (Sole) 7.69 85440 40610 0.91Cabbage (Sole) 42.82 158580 109008 2.20Carrot (Sole) 23.09 142768 93222 1.88Coriander (Sole) 1.22 67680 21828 0.48Fennel (Sole) 1.4 103680 59026 1.32Ajwain (Sole) 0.85 78500 26370 0.51Pea + Fennel 5.08 +0.729 110436 63323 1.34Pea + Coriander 5.71+ 0.522 98196 50484 1.06Pea + Ajwain 5.57+ 0.522 110284 63433 1.35Cabbage + Fennel 35.78+ 0.631 179312 129570 2.60Cabbage + Coriander 38.19 + 0.720 181460 131119 2.60Cabbage + Ajwain 36.86+ 0.465 179604 130124 2.63Carrot + Fennel 15.61 +0.462 159184 112084 2.38Carrot + Coriander 13.76 +0.462 127480 79781 1.67Carrot + Ajwain 14.40+ 0.491 152156 105318 2.25SEm± - - 2299.6 0.0592C.D. at 5% - - 6513.1 0.11

Table 3: Yield and economics as influenced by multi-tier intercropping with different spices and

vegetables crops

Vegetables having high yield potential and short duration in nature are the most suitable multi-tier intercrops.

Provides income, employment and enough food for consumption.

Better and sustainable use of the inputs, i.e., soil, water, air, space, solar radiation, etc.

Reduce insecurity of mono-cropping.

Higher production, economic return and resource utilization.

Channelizing the dynamic energy of rural youth towards conventional farming for higher income generation and livelihood security.

Summary and conclusion

Thank You…