Effect of castor (Ricinus communis L.) based millets intercropping systems on pest incidence and sustained productivity

A field experiment was conducted during kharif season of 2017–18 at College of Agriculture, Vijayapura, in medium black soils to study the performance of castor (Ricinus communis L.) based millets intercropping systems under rainfed condition. A Randomized Complete Block Design was used for the experiment with three replications. The results indicated that sole castor recorded significantly higher seed yield (2416 kg ha−1) and higher number of capsules per plant and capsule weight per plant (293.25 plant−1) than the other intercropped castor and lower capsules per plant (143.84 plant−1) was recorded in castor intercropped with pearl millet in 1: 2 row proportion. Among intercrops sole foxtail millet recorded higher number of productive tillers (63.00). At harvest higher total dry matter accumulation was recorded in sole castor (379.41 g plant−1) and among intercrops sole pearl millet recorded higher total dry matter production (57.16 g plant−1). Among different intercropping systems the incidence of semilooper and percent capsule borer were found to be lower in castor + foxtail millet (9.66 larvae plant−1and 8.79%, respectively) in 1: 2 row proportion while, sole castor recorded higher incidence of semilooper and capsule borer damage (14.23 larvae plant−1and 16.84%), similarly castor + little millet (1: 2) recorded higher castor equivalent yield (3325 kg ha−1) and higher net returns (78, 720 Rs ha−1).