Effect of Intercrops on Growth, Yield, Quality and Leaf Nutrient Status in Apple and Cherry

The present investigations were carried out at Fruit Research Station, Balpora, Pahnoo (Shopian), SKUAST-K, Shalimar. The experiment consisted of eight treatments replicated thrice in a Randomised Block Design. Results revealed that the apple trees cv. Red Delicious intercropped with leguminous crops like (pea, french bean and red clover) recorded highest growth parameters and yield than control (clean cultivation) and heavy feeder crops like (strawberry, cabbage, oats and maize) and their foliage was highest with respect to nutrients content N, P and Mg. Commencement of flowering and maturity of fruits also occurred earlier in apple trees when intercropped with leguminous crops than heavy feeder crops. Quality parameters like fruit size was found highest in apple trees with pea, followed by red clover and french bean intercrop, while fruit firmness and fruit colour was better under red clover, followed by french bean, pea and control (clean cultivation), as compared to oats and maize intercrop. Maximum fruit TSS, reducing sugars and total sugars of apple trees were observed under pea and red clover while as with oats and maize less content was recorded. In case of cherry cv. Misri growth parameters like plant girth, plant height, plant spread, plant volume and annual extension growth and yield parameters like fruit yield (kg/tree) and yield efficiency (kg/cm2) was found higher in pea, followed by red clover and french bean. However control (clean cultivation) recorded highest growth and yield parameters than heavy feeder crops like strawberry, cabbage, oats and maize. Commencement of flowering and fruit maturity was recorded better under leguminous crops than control (clean cultivation). Quality parameters like fruit firmness and fruit colour of cherry trees was recorded good under red clover, followed by french bean, pea and control (clean cultivation). However, the use of intercrops like legumes recorded highest fruit size than heavy feeder crops. Maximum fruit TSS of cherry trees was observed under pea, followed by red clover, french bean and clean cultivation as compared to cabbage, oats and maize. Nutrient uptake of N, P and Mg by cherry trees was found more with leguminous crops like (pea, red clover and french bean) followed by control (clean cultivation) and less with oats and maize. An overview of the investigation revealed that the Apple trees cv. Red Delicious and Cherry trees cv. Misri intercropped with leguminous crops like pea, red clover and french bean resulted in higher yield, better quality of fruits and higher leaf nutrient status as compared to the trees intercropped with heavy feeder crops like strawberry, cabbage, oats and maize. The studies also revealed that apple and cherry trees when intercropped with rabi sown crops proved to be superior and beneficial than apple and cherry trees intercropped with kharif sown crops in terms for net profit and Benefit Cost ratio