Intercropping of vegetable crops in fruit orchard has higher potential to enhance the productivity. Intercropping involves raising of two or more crops simultaneously in proximity. The main goal of intercropping is to obtain higher yield on a given piece of land by effective utilization of resources or ecological processes that would elseways not be used by a single crop. This ensures their suitability for growing as intercrops under fruit orchards. An experiment was conducted in the Instructional Farm of Department of Pomology and Post-Harvest Technology, Uttar Banga Krishi Viswavidyalaya, Pundibari, with an aim to identify the suitable and profitable intercrops and also to evaluate the performance of intercropping under juvenile orchard of jackfruit. An experiment consisting of ten treatments such as jackfruit + cabbage+ amaranthus, jackfruit + cauliflower+ amaranthus, jackfruit + broccoli+ amaranthus, jackfruit + tomato+ amaranthus, jackfruit + brinjal+ amaranthus, jackfruit + palak+ amaranthus, jackfruit + peas+ amaranthus, jackfruit + radish+ amaranthus, jackfruit + cucumber+ amaranthus, Jackfruit (monocrop) to assess the performance of intercropping under juvenile orchard of jackfruit. The results indicated that the increase in juvenile jackfruit plant growth behavior due to intercropping with pea or other intercrops, contained adequate amount of plant nutrients enhanced the growth of the main crop and improvedthe atmospheric nitrogen fixing capacity into the soil and jackfruit + tomato intercropping system showed better performance in terms of yield and economic analysis followed by jackfruit + cauliflower intercropping system. Jackfruit + tomato cropping system has recorded higher B:C ratio (2.86) followed by jackfruit + cauliflower (2.57).

Juvenile Orchard, Jackfruit, Intercrops, Yield.

Based on the present study it can be concluded that, under jackfruit based intercropping system, growing of different vegetable intercrops enhances the better growth of juvenile jackfruit trees along with improves the soil fertility status of the orchard. The highest benefit: cost ratio was observed in jackfruit + tomato (2.86), followed by jackfruit + cauliflower (2.57) and jackfruit + radish (2.03). These intercropping models were most suitable strategies for generating employment opportunities, economizing productivity, enhancing economic conditions of the entrepreneurs and farmers, enhancing export, and nutritional security to the people. Moreover, intercropping of short duration vegetable crops in juvenile fruit orchard not only enhance the utilization of resources but also play a crucial role in reducing the risk of crop failure by increasing the net income per unit of area.

Santhoshkumar G.M., Nilesh Bhowmick and Ashok Choudhury (2022). Performance of Intercropping under Juvenile Jackfruit Orchard in Sub-Himalayan Terai Region of West Bengal. Biological Forum – An International Journal, 14(2): 498-502.