Agronomic performance of mash bean as an intercrop in sesame under different planting patterns.

In a field study, the performance of mashbean in a sesame-mash intercropping system under different geometric arrangements was evaluated on a sandy-clay loam soil at the University of Agriculture, Faisalabad for two consecutive years. The planting pattern comprised 40 cm spaced single rows, 60 cm spaced 2-row strips and 100 cm spaced 4-row strips while mashbean was intercropped in all the three planting patterns and also grown as sole crop. The results revealed that planting sesame in the pattern of 100 cm spaced 4-row strips explored the possibility of intercropping mashbean in sesame by producing significantly maximum seed yield of mashbean (703.10 kg ha-1) and base crop i.e. sesame (687.40 kg ha-1) as compared to 40 cm spaced single rows and 60 cm spaced 2-row strips planting patterns. Besides, the intercropping sesame with mashbean in pattern of 100 cm spaced 4-row strips appeared to be feasible, convenient and gave maximum net profit (Rs.21242 ha-1) as compared to other two planting patterns and monocropped sesame. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]