The experiment was conducted with general objective of, “To study the effect of pearl millet based intercropping systems on total productivity of pearl millet and legumes” and specific objectives i) to study the performance of pearl millet varieties under sole and intercropping systems, ii) to study the performance of cowpea, green gram and ground nut under sole and intercropping systems, iii) to study the comparative efficiency of pearl millet varieties and legume crops to manage weeds under sole and intercropping systems and iv) to study the comparative economics of different pearl millet based cropping systems. The experiment was conducted in Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with 15 treatment combinations each replicated thrice. The fifteen treatment combinations consists of three pearl millet varieties vize, Kona, Hagaz and Tokroray and three legumes viz, Green gram, Cowpea and Groundnut grown under sole and intercropping system. Periodic biometric observations of all the crops and weed studies were recorded. The data obtained were subjected to various mathematical formulas and statistical analysis by GEN STAT software to test the efficiency of different varieties of pearl millet, legumes alone and their intercropping systems to utilize the resources efficiently, manage weeds and increase the total productivity. Intercropping of legumes with pearl millet gave complimentary advantage of yield, Gross returns and net returns over sole cropping. Among all the combinations intercropping of groundnut with Kona produced higher grain yield (3076 kg ha -1), total grain productivity (3737), gross returns (106355 kg ha-2) and net returns (71825 Nakfa ha 2). Groundnut Among the legumes gave highest net return and B: C (3.7). Because of lesser cost of cultivation and higher gross return due to its higher selling price.
Keywords : Pearl Millet, Legumes, Sole Cropping, Intercropping.