Evaluation of cereal-legume and cereal-pseudocereal intercropping systems through forage productivity and competition ability.

摘要

Amaranth (Amaranthus cruentus L.) and mungbean (Vigna radiata (L.) Wilczek) have been intercropped with maize (Zea mays L.) to evaluate the effects of mixture system and planting ratios on intercropping yield and competition indices. This field study was conducted during 2009 under Mediterranean region in Ahwaz, Iran. The experimental design was split plot with three replications. Two intercropping systems were in main plot and five planting ratios were in sub-plot. Various measures of the efficiency of intercropping system relative to sole cropping were employed. The results showed that regardless of planting ratios, maize:amaranth at the 75:25 mix-proportion had the highest intercropping forage yield but, maize:mungbean at this planting ratio was observed to be the most monitory advantages. Furthermore, mungbean intercropped with maize was more competitive than amaranth. Generally, maize was the dominant and non-dominant species in mixture with amaranth and mungbean, respectively. Although maize had lower yield in mixture than sole crop but, its means partial land equivalent ratio was not significantly differed between intercropped maize in amaranth or mungbean. The ratio of proportion also seemed to significantly affect the efficiency of intercropping. For example, different amaranth or mungbean planting ratios caused different in competitive ratio, crowding coefficients values, aggressivity values and actual yield loss indices on associated crop (maize). In other words, intra and inter competition were changed by change in planting ratios.