Influence of Intercrops on Cropping, Quality and Relative Economic Yield of Sweet Cherry cv. Bigarreau Noir Grossa (Misri)

Abstract

An experiment was conducted to assess the impact of different intercrops like maize, pea, strawberry, cabbage, red clover, french bean, oats and maize on cropping, quality and relative economic yield of cherry cv. Misri under Kashmir conditions. The results obtained revealed significant improvement in cherry trees intercropped with leguminous crops like pea, red clover and french bean than clean cultivation and heavy feeder crops (requiring high level of soil nutrients) like strawberry, cabbage, oats and maize. Highest per cent fruit set, fruit maturity, fruit yield and fruit physico-chemical characteristics were recorded maximum in cherry trees with leguminous type of crops. The impact of intercrops on relative economic yield of cherry (system equivalent yield) revealed that the cherry plants intercropped with pea had better benefit: cost ratio (1.71) followed by cabbage (1.41), red clover (1.40) and French bean (1.39) than clean cultivation (1.34).