Effect of single, inter and mixed cropping on the agronomic characteristics, weeds and forage yield of corn and sorghum

摘要

No comprehensive study of mixtures of corn with sorghum has been conducted in South Korea. Thus, the experiment was carried out to investigate the agronomic characteristics, dry matter, and weed production, and vegetation in single, inter and mixed croppings. Plots were allotted to one of four treatments in a randomized block design using single species and mixed species. The four treatments were: (T1) corn single, (T2) sorghum single, (T3) corn and sorghum inter cropping, and (T4) corn and sorghum mixed cropping. Lodging resistance in the inter cropping was higher than in the sorghum single and in the mixed cropping because the stems in the inter cropping were thicker in diameter. Total dry matter contents of crops from the inter cropping were higher than those from the mixed cropping. Fresh and dry matter (DM) yields of the crops from the inter cropping were highest among the cropping systems. The major weeds in the corn and sorghum plots were barnyard grass {Echinochloa crusgall), velvetleaf (Abutilon avicennae), crabgrass (Digitatia saguinalis), and redroot pigweed iArnaranthus retro flex-us). Weed populations were lower in the inter and mixed croppings than in a pure stand of corn. Therefore, the inter cropping is more suitable for the corn and sorghum cropping systems because of the high lodging resistance, the high forage yield and the low weed population.