B. Bala’s research while affiliated with University of Calcutta and other places

A field experiment was conducted during the spring season of 1995 and 1996 at Baruipur, to study the productivity and economic profitability of sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.)-based intercropping systems on rice (Oryza saliva L.) fallow genetic alluvial land. Intercropping of groundnut (Arachis hypogaea L.) with normal planting of sunflower was found beneficial and sustainable over sole cropping of sunflower. Among the intercrop associations, normal row (45 cm) planting of sunflower with groundnut resulted in maximum sunflower-equivalent yield (26.05 q/ha), land-equivalent ratio (1.52), monetary advantage (Rs 6,238/ ha), net return (Rs 9,130/ha), income-equivalent ratio (2.36) and indicated a modest aggressivity factor (± 0.16), competitive ratio (1.23 : 0.87) and gave a good value for the product of crowding coefficient (K 11.51) and area-time equivalent ratio (1.37), which proved most efficient system among all the intercropping systems.

A field experiment was conducted during the spring season of 1995 and 1996 at Baruipur, to study the effect of micronutrients on physiological parameters in relation to yield of greengram (Phaseolus radiatus L.) on rice fallow Gangetic alluvial land (Entisol). Application of muiti-micronutrients followed by Zn alone resulted in better physiological parameters like dry-matter production (DM), leaf-area index (LAI), crop-growth rate (CGR), net assimilation rate (NAR) and yield components leading to higher grain yield compared with sole application of Mn, Cu, B, Mo and Fe. Multi-micronutrients and Zn resulted in 39 and 34% higher yield respectively over no micronutrient. There was a positive relation between DM, LAI, CGR and yield, and an inverse relationship between NAR and yield. The yield was not at all impaired despite inverse relation between NAR and yield, probably because of a good balance between photosynthesis and respiration.

A field experiment was conducted during the winter season of 1992-93 and 1993-94 at Nimpith to evaluate the intercropping systems of pulse crops greengram (Phaseolus radiatus L.), blackgram (Phaseolus mungo L.) and oilseed crop groundnut (Arackis hypogaea L.) with sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) in 2 planting patterns. Intercropping reduced the growth and yield attributes and yield of component species compared with the respective pure stands but increased the plant height of the base crop. The seed yield of sunflower was higher in normal planting (45 cm) than in intercropping, but the total seed-equivalent yield of sunflower was the highest (2 646 kg/ha) in paired row (30-60 cm) sunflower + groundnut system. This treatment also gave the maxium land-equivalent ratio (1.44), monetary advantage (Rs 4 010/ha) and indicated modest competitive ratio (1.47:0.67), which proved the most efficient system.