Assessment of mango-based intercropping systems for productivity, resource use efficiency and environmental sustainability in tropical region of India

Mango is the most important fruit crop of India which is primarily characterized by monocropping, low-density planting and low productivity. Intercropping in low density orchards is one of the most viable options for enhancing profitability as well as for promoting climate resilience. Hence mango-based intercropping systems viz. mango + pineapple (M + P), mango + ber (M + B), mango + dragon fruit (M + D) and mango + dragon fruit + pineapple (M + D + P), were evaluated in terms of productivity, profitability, resource use efficiency, and carbon and energy efficiency with the monoculture of mango. Mango + pineapple (M + P) demonstrated markedly higher land equivalent ratio (1.68), water productivity (16.54 kg m⁻³), partial factor productivity (32.87), sustainable yield index (0.83) and sustainable value index (0.81) followed by M + D + P intercropping system. M + D + P system exhibited higher system productivity (31.14 Mg ha⁻¹), production efficiency (85.31 kg day⁻¹ ha⁻¹) and relative economic efficiency followed by M + P system. M + P system demonstrated significantly low carbon footprint (0.26 CE kg⁻¹) and energy footprint (1.67 MJ kg⁻¹) per unit of fruit production. M + P system was also the most efficient system in terms of carbon efficiency (1.28), energy use efficiency (1.32), energy productivity (0.65 kg MJ⁻¹) and energy profitability. The findings clearly suggest that M + P and M + D + P are the most economically viable and sustainable intercropping systems in tropical region of India. Both the intercropping systems may also be considered climate resilient on the basis of water productivity, sustainability index and carbon and energy footprint.