Farm Innovation- Gladiolus as Intercrop with Sugarcane

Sh Dheer Singh, in his late fifties, has been farming for more than past 30 years. He is a graduate with land-holding of 2.5 hectares in village Noonikhera (District Muzaffarnagar, UP). He received 1st prize for sugar cultivation by the local KVK. His idea of taking gladiolus crop along with sugarcane proved highly remunerative and got him appreciation from fellow farmers.

Muzaffarnagar is the main sugarcane growing area and a very good one at that, in the state of Uttar Pradesh. Cost of cultivation of sugarcane has been increasing day by day and net profit has been decreasing consistently. In order to address this problem, the farmer Shri Dheer Singn decided to grow intercrop of ‘sarson’ as advised by the extension specialist of the area. But Dheer wanted to grow something new that would give him not only income but income on a regular basis. He was near the high way to Delhi and used to seed many kinds of vegetables and flowers being transported to Delhi. He enquired from one of the truck owners about what can sell best in Delhi. The answer he received was “Gladiolus”. He immediately acquired the information on the variety and cultivation practices of Gladiolus. He decided to plant gladiolus bulbs in the fresh autumn plantation of sugarcane that he was planning.

While doing so, he also introduced gladiolus as intercrop on ridges as additional crop without disturbing the population of sugarcane already growing in furrows.

In both cases, ha found his new intercopping as highly profitable. Gladiolus is planted in the month of October on ridges as additional crop and the spikes (flower bearing twigs) are harvested from Christmas (X-mas), 25 December) upto February end. The bulbs are left in the field for one month for hardening and removed in the end of March. This intercropping gave a net profit of Rs. 3.08 lakhs per ha as compared to Rs. 0.93 lakh of sole crop. The average yield of intercropped sugarcane was 1000 q/h and with intercrop, Dheer Singh was able to get an additional Rs 1,50,000 for gladiolus spikes from the population in this one ha, In addition he was left with 75,000 bulbs and 5qunitals of bulblets of gladiolus from 1.0 ha land. The value of this was about Rs 60,000/- only.


Practical utility of innovation

Gladiolus as additional intercrop may be planted in the month of October with autumn sugarcane or even in standing sugarcane on bunds. It is a feasible option in the district because of marginal and small land holding. Gladiolus on ridges intercropped with sugarcane var. COS-8436


Sh Dheer Singh harvesting spikes of Gladiolus


Name - Shri Dheer Singh
Contact- 9759847691