Journal of Environmental Biology

Intercropping of aromatic crop Pelargonium graveolens with 

Solanum tuberosum for better productivity and soil health

Rajesh Kumar Verma¹*, Ajai Yadav², Ram Swaroop Verma², Laiq-Ur Rahman¹ and Khushboo Khan¹

¹CSIR-Central Institute of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants, Lucknow-226 015, India

²CSIR-Central Institute of Medicinal and Aromatic Plants, Research Centre, Pant Nagar-263 149, India

*Corresponding Authors Email : rajeshcimap@rediffmail.com

Publication Data

Paper received:

16 May 2013

Revised received:

24 September 2013

Accepted:

11 October 2013

Abstract

Farmers in hilly regions experience low production potential and resource use efficiency due to low valued crops and poor soil health. Geranium (Pelargonium graveolensL.) is a vegetatively propagated initially slow growing, high value aromatic crop. Potato (Solanum tuberosumL.) is also vegetatively propagated high demand cash crop. A field experiment was carried out in temperate climate to investigate the influence of geranium intercropping at different row strips (1:1 and 1:2) and plant density (60?45,75?45 and 90?45cm) with  potato intercrop on biomass ,oil yield, monetary advantage and soil quality parameters. The row spacing 60?45cm and row strip1:1 was found to be superior and produced 92 t ha^-1and 14 kg ha^-1 biomass and oil yield, respectively. The row strip 1:2 intercrop earned a maximum $2107, followed by      $ 1862 with row strip 1:1 at 60?45cm plant density. Significant variations were noticed in soil organic carbon (C_org), total N (N_t), available nutrients, soil microbial biomass (C_mic) and nitrogen (N_mic) content. Maximum improvement of C_org (41.0 %) and N_t(27.5%) with row strip 1:1 at 75 ? 45cm plant density. While higher soil respiration rate, C_mic, N_mic, and qCO₂was found with 1:2 row strip at 60 ? 45 plant density. The buildup of C_org and C_mic potato intercrop can promote long term sustainability on productivity and soil health.

Key words

Aromatic crop, Inter cropping, Soil organic carbon, Soil respiration

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