Horse gram along with rice crop

THE IMPORTANCE of organic manure in sustaining the productivity of soil is sidely accepted. This is especially true when intensive cropping is practised.

One of the cheapest and easiest methods to add organic matter to the soil is companion cropping of horse gram along with rice crop. This system of simultaneous growing of horsegram along with rice is suited to areas where dry sowing is practised and subsequent submergence of the field is anticipated with the onset of south-west monsoon.

After the sowing of rice seeds, sow the seeds of horsegram at 6 to 7 kg/ha. No separate fertilisers are required for horsegram which is raised for green manure purpose. With the onset of south-west monsoon, the rice field gets submerged and self incorporated into the soil.

In normal rainfall years; at the time of submergence of the field, the horsegram crop may be at the age of about six weeks and at the active vegetative phase.

Trials conducted have revealed that the system of companion cropping of horse gram along with rice crop is more suited to areas receiving delayed rainfall. It is estimated that in normal monsoon seasons this method about 2 to 3 MT of green manure is added to the soil. If the rainfall is delayed, the quantity of green manure added to the soil is increased.

The system is more acceptable to farmers than growing cowpea along with rice crop since the horsegram crop may not smother the main rice crop even if the south-west monsoon is delayed than normally expected. The weed problem is also reduced substantially.

P.S.Sasi

C.A.D.A.

Thrissur District Kerala

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