Drumstick is an important perennial vegetable packed with nutrients and medicinal values. However, it could not reach its commercial status due to lack of information on its suitability in the intercropping system. Hence, a study on drumstick based cohesive intercropping system comprising crops of differential stature viz. high (drumstick), medium (Okra and Cluster bean), low (Cowpea) and ground cover (Pumpkin) have to be analyzed to enhance the unit area income under rain fed condition of semiarid ecosystem. The results revealed that the crops of all stature recorded the higher yield under sole crop comparing to intercrop combination. Although, yield reduction observed in drumstick under intercropping system, no significant differences among treatments were observed. Similarly all intercropping treatments gave substantially higher net income over sole-cropping, the highest net income (Rs.95232/ha) was realized in of pumpkin+ cluster bean + cowpea combination. The crop intensity ranged from 100 to 400 percent from sole to intercropping combinations. Among the intercropping combination, drumstick +pumpkin+ cluster bean + cowpea combination recorded the maximum yield (39.25 t ha-1) and maximum land equivalent ratio (3.14), drumstick equivalent yield (14.74), Area X time equivalent ratio (3.45) indicated the crops cohesiveness in sharing the natural resources and non competitive each other. Hence, drumstick +pumpkin+ cluster bean + cowpea combination could enhance productivity and income per unit area under rain fed condition

Keywords: Intercropping, drumstick, land equivalent ratio, cost benefit ratio