SRA-LGAREC

UPDATES
Published by the SRA-La Granja Agricultural Research and Extension Center La Granja, La Carlota City Negros Occidental, Philippines ? &?0973-222-810
Vol. 3 No. 4 March 1999

INTERCROPPING MUNGO AND PEANUT WITH SUGARCANE The low price of sugar and the present economic difficulties have once again revived interest on livelihood projects. These projects are meant to augment income and raise the standard of living especially among the poor. One strategy that has proved in the past as a source of additional income in sugar farms is the practice of intercropping. When intercropping, two or more crops are grown in the same piece of land and at the same time. These crops, usually legumes, are planted in single or double rows in the empty cane row interspaces immediately after planting of cane and are harvested in about three or four months time. HOW TO DO IT: a) Avail of the recommended varieties of mungo and peanut through the BPI, UP, or other seed centers. The newly released varieties include: Mungo: UPL Mg7 (Pag-asa) & BPI Mg9 and BPI Mg 7. Peanut: UPL Pn10 (Biyaya 10), BPI Pn2 and UPL Pn8 (Biyaya 8). b) The seeds are sown in the row interspaces immediately after planting of canepoints. Mungo is sown at the rate of 20 plants per meter or drilled at 2 seeds/10cm to give a population of 200,000 plants/ha (approx. 13Kg of seeds). Peanut seeds are drilled at 2 seeds/20 cm top give a population of 100,000 plants/ha (approx. 50Kg of seeds). c) Three (3) bags of 14-14-14 are considered sufficient for mungo and peanut. The material is distributed evenly in the furrow and covered with soil before sowing or applied in band about 6 cm. To the sides and 3 cm deeper than the seed.

d) If inoculants are available, place the seeds in a container, moist with water and mix the inoculant and seeds thoroughly. Do this 1 hour before planting and always in the shade. Chemically treated seeds should not be inoculated. e) Weed control is done by manual means two or three weeks after planting until 6-8 weeks later. Peanut hills are hoed at 45 days after planting to provide more contact between the soil and the developing peg. f) Pest and disease control measures are the same as in pure stand and are done regularly by spraying with appropriate pesticides. g) Mungo pods mature in about 60 days and are harvested by priming. Peanut pods mature in 100-110 days and are harvested by pulling the entire plant and picking the pods. Harvested pods are immediately sundried to reduce moisture content to safe storage level. COST BENEFITS: Past studies show that a planter can produce from 450 to 600 kilos of mungo and from 500 to 600 kilos of unshelled peanut when intercropping. At the current prices of P1,500.00 (green) and P2,500 (yellow) per 50Kg-sack of mungo as well as P700 per 20Kg-sack of peanut, one can realize an estimated gross income per hectare of P13,500.00 to P30,000.00 for mungo and from P17,500.00 to P21,000.00 when intercropping peanut. This is on top of what one gets from sugarcane farming./glr
_______________ SOURCE: SPECIAL ISSUE: Intercropping Mungo and PHILSUCOM Journal, August September 1978.

Peanut,