Planting row arrangement and nutrient management in geranium (Pelargonium graveolens) - garlic (Allium sativum) intercropping

Field experiments were carried out at Lucknow, India to evaluate the optimum plant row arrangement of geranium and to study the effects of different rates of fertilizer N, P and Zn for the yield assessment in a geranium-garlic intercropping system. A paired row arrangement (40/80 cm) of geranium planting significantly increased the herb and essential oil yield over the conventional single row planting method (60x30cm). The former gave 20.6 % more herbage than the geranium single row intercrop system, with a 22.3 % increase in oil yield. Application of N at 160 kg ha-1 significantly increased the herb and oil yields of geranium and bulb yield of garlic over the control and 80 kg N ha-1. Uptake of N by geranium was also significantly higher at 160 kg N ha-1.Application of phosphorus at 40 kg P2O5 ha-1 proved significantly better than the no P control in the production of geranium oil and garlic bulbs. Uptake of Zn increased significantly up to 40 kg P2O5 ha-1. Higher rates of P decreased the Zn uptake by the plants. Application of 30 kg Zn SO4 ha-1 showed a significant response on the herb and oil yields over the no zinc control. The higher growth indices such as monetary equivalent ratio (1.45), area time equivalent ratio (1.44), land use efficiency (144 %) and benefit cost ratio (6.37) were recorded with a geranium paired intercrop system compared to other cropping systems. The geranium paired intercrop system proved advantageous in enhancing the economic returns by 1.73 – a two fold increase over the geranium single row, sole cropping system. It is concluded from this study that intercropping of garlic with a geranium paired row system proved highly beneficial in terms of getting higher economic returns by almost a factor of two over the conventional geranium single row planting method. A fertilizer addition of 160 kg N, 40 kg P2O5 and 30 kg Zn SO4 ha-1 is recommended for achieving the maximum yield advantages in a geranium-garlic intercropping system.