Relay intercropping of green peas in maize for enhanced farmer income and soil health

Overview

This solution introduces a relay intercropping system that integrates green peas into existing rainfed maize-wheat cropping systems practiced on the sloped arable lands of the north-western Himalayan region of India. By sowing two rows of green peas between maize rows at the maize grain-filling stage (R4), farmers use residual soil moisture to establish a second crop without additional irrigation. The approach targets small and resource-poor farmers, offering them a way to generate premium returns during festival seasons when green pea prices peak, while simultaneously improving soil health and overall system sustainability.

The value proposition rests on three pillars: enhanced farmer income through a high-value secondary crop, improved soil health through biological nitrogen fixation and erosion control, and reduced labour input thanks to natural weed suppression by the legume canopy.

Technical specifications

Cropping system design:

• Maize is planted mid-June to the first week of July under rainfed conditions.
• At the maize R4 (grain filling) stage, two rows of green peas are relay-sown between maize rows using specially designed planters that utilize residual soil moisture.
• Maize is harvested at the end of September; relay green pea plants are approximately 20 days older than sole-cropped peas at this point.
• Green pods are ready for harvest during the first week of November, aligning with peak festival-season demand and pricing.

Agronomic and environmental benefits:

• Nitrogen transfer: Legume-fixed nitrogen benefits the associated maize crop and the succeeding wheat crop in the rotation.
• Nitrogen sparing: Smaller nitrogen requirements of legumes reduce fertilizer demand.
• Drought mitigation: Green peas act as a live mulch, reducing soil evaporation and erosion on sloped terrain.
• Weed suppression: The legume canopy reduces weed pressure, lowering labour requirements for farmers.

Technology readiness level

The proposed system is at an early research and validation stage. Existing literature documents relay intercropping of legumes such as lathyrus, lentil, and chickpea in paddy-based systems in eastern India, but very little work has been conducted on green pea relay intercropping in maize under the sub-temperate rainfed conditions of sloped north-western Himalayan lands. Field validation is needed to quantify effects on maize yield, succeeding wheat performance, soil health indicators, and economic returns across multiple seasons before broader recommendation to farmers.