Evaluation of high value and climate smart crops under custard apple based agri-horti system in the Vindhyan region
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An experiment was conducted at Agricultural Farm of Rajiv Gandhi South Campus (Banaras Hindu University), Barkaccha, Mirzapur, Uttar Pradesh, India located in the Central Vindhyan Plateau Region during the monsoon season of July 2024. Assessment of five high value and climate smart crops under 13 year old custard apple-based agri-horti systems on sandy clay loam soil using a randomized block design with three replications. The various treatment combinations include T 1 (custard apple+ vegetable cowpea), T 2 (custard apple+okra), T 3 (custard apple+ finger millet), T 4 (custard apple+ ashwagandha) and T 5 (custard apple+ cluster bean). Results showed that the custard apple + clusterbean system yielded the highest custard apple mean crop equivalent yield (5,938 kg/ha), followed by T 4, ashwagandha (4,875 kg/ha), okra (4,688 kg/ha), finger millet (3,618kg/ha), and cowpea (3,133kg/ha). Although the okra system incurred the highest cultivation cost (Rs 81881.9), it also produced the third highest gross (Rs 234400) and net returns (Rs 152518.1). The highest gross return was produced by clusterbean (Rs 2,54,150). In contrast, the custard apple + cluster bean combination had the highest benefit-cost ratio (5.61), making it the most economically efficient preceeded by ashwagandha(6.88) and succeeded by okra(2.86). The highest harvest index was recorded for custard apple+okra 44% followed by cluster bean(38.48%) and vegetable cowpea(34.9%). The land equivalent ratio was 2.03 for custard apple and vegetable clusterbean, followed by custard apple+okra (1.91). LER was recorded lowest for custard apple+fingermillet(1.24). The carbon stock observed was highest for custard aplple+ okra 5.5tha -1 yr -1 followed by leguminous crops clusterbean (4.3 tha -1 yr -1 ) and cowpea (1.8 tha -1 yr -1 ). This research underscores the potential of integrating climate-resilient, high-value and climate smart intercrops with custard apple to enhance profitability, sustainability, and productivity.
