Nitrogen management in intercropping of soybean + maize for higher system productivity and economics under arid regions of Kandahar, Afghanistan

摘要

An experiment was conducted at research farm of Afghanistan National Agricultural Sciences and Technology University during 2017-18 on maize and soybean intercropping system. The data revealed that the maize + soybean (1:1) recorded significantly higher grain yield over sole maize. However, increase of maize yield in maize + soybean (1:1) intercropping system was of 6.44 per cent over sole maize, but it was clear that this increase was statistical at par with intercropping maize + soybean (1:2). Application of N at increasing rates brought about a significant increase in grain yield of maize from control to 80 kg/ha. The grain yield increased with application of 40, 80 and 120 kg/N ha. However, the interaction effect between nitrogen application andcropping system was not found to be significant. Soybean seed yield indicated that increasing rates of N fertilization up to 120 kg ha-1 increased the yield was 21% (701 kg/ha) compared to control (576 kg/ha). System productivity of intercropping of maize and soybean was also estimated and among the intercropping, the highest system productivity was in maize (75 cm) + two rows of soybean (4087 kg/ha) which was significantly higher over maize Sole (75 cm) and maize (75 cm) + one row of soybean (4.11). Compared to sole maize almost 72% higher system productivity was observed in maize (75 cm) + two rows of soybean. System maize equivalent yield was also maximum (10731 kg/ha) in intercropping of maize with soybean by adding two soybean rows in between theinter row space of 75 cm of maize.