Effect of lignite flyash and press mud on maize based intercropping system

Field experiments were conducted at Annamalai University Experimental Farm, Annamalainagar to evaluate the effects of lignite flyash, press mud and farmyard manure in maize based intercropping system during summer and kharif, 2012. The experiments were laid out in split plot design replicated thrice with four main and five sub treatments viz., M1 - FYM + RDF, M2 – FYM + LFA + RDF, M3 – PM + LFA + RDF, M4 - PM+RDF, S1-sole Maize, S2- Maize + Sesamum, S3- Maize + Black gram, S4- Maize + Sunflower S5- Maize + Cow pea and four additional treatments viz., I1-sole blackgram, I2- Sole cowpea, I3-sole sesame and I4-sole sunflower were included separately for comparison. With regard to utilization of industrial wastes, press mud @ 12.5 t ha-1 + LFA @ 5 t ha-1 + RDF recorded the highest growth and yield components. It was followed by FYM @ 12.5 t ha-1 + LFA @ 5 t ha-1 + RDF. Addition of LFA @ 5 t ha-1 with press mud / farm yard manure @ 12.5 t ha-1 proved to be superior, rather than sole application. Among the cropping systems, maize + cowpea intercropping system favourably influenced the growth and yield components of maize such as plant height, LAI, DMP, cob length, cob diameter, number of grains cob-1 and grain yield. The lowest values of all growth and yield components were recorded under maize + sunflower/sesamum intercropping systems. The maize + cowpea (S5) intercropping system with the addition of press mud @ 12.5 t ha-1 + LFA @ 5 t ha-1 + RDF (M3) recorded the highest grain yield 5831 kg ha-1 in summer and 6141 kg ha-1 in Kharif, 2012. The uptake of nutrients was found to be significantly higher in industrial wastes application with maize + cowpea intercropping system. The post harvest soil available N, P2O5 and K2O were lower under the same treatment ( Press mud @ 12.5 t ha-1 + LFA @ 5 t ha-1 + RDF (M3 S5). The same combination registered the highest return rupee-1 invested and BCR of 3.17 and 3.34 in summer and kharif season2012, respectively. Hence, from the results, it is concluded that when maize is grown with the addition of press mud @ 12.5 t ha-1+ LFA @ 5 t ha-1 + RDF, and intercropped with cowpea is an economically feasible eco friendly approach to realize better returns for maize growers.