http://directory.umm.ac.id/Data%20Elmu/jurnal/E/European%20Journal%20of%20Agronomy/Vol12.Issue2.March2000/3.pdf

Intercropping corn with soybean, lupin and forages: yield component responses

SUMMARY Maize and soybean are commonly intercropped in the drier zones of the western mid-hills in Nepal, but farmers report that productivity of soybean has been declining in recent years. Two researcher managed on-farm field experiments were conducted in the mid-hills environment of Nepal during 2001 and 2002, and one glasshouse experiment at the University of Wales, Bangor during 2003, to determine whether varying densities of maize and soybean influenced productivity of the system and to what extent soybean exhibited adaptation to shade. In neither season was maize yield affected by the presence of soybean, but grain yield of soybean was reduced in mixture by means of 59 and 53 % during 2001 and 2002 respectively. Biomass and grain yield of maize were greatest at 53 × 10 3 plants ha −1 and least at the lowest density, whilst conversely biomass and grain yield of soybean increased. With increasing maize density, rates of accumulation of dry matter and leaf area index also increased, the latter resulting in decreasing transmission of light to the intercropped soybean. Soybean exhibited no photosynthetic adaptation to shade, but the specific leaf area was greater in artificially shaded and intercropped plants. Land equivalent ratios of all intercrops were greater than unity (1.30 to 1.45), indicating higher efficiency of intercropping compared to sole crops. Given the low plasticity in response of the maize canopy to variations in density, it is suggested that soybean could be better grown under maize by increasing between-row spacing of maize from 0.75 to 1.0 m to improve light transmission to the understorey, resulting in higher overall productivity of the intercropping system, and also that soybean germplasm be screened for adaptation to shade.

Effect of varying maize densities on intercropped maize and soybean in nepal

Intercropping is the system of simultaneously growing two or more crops on the same land area with a definite row arrangement However, it is very much important to ensure that component crops do not compete with each other for space, moisture, nutrients, and solar radiation Cereal+legume intercropping provides a greater scope for minimizing the adverse impact of moisture and nutrient stress in addition to improving system productivity and soil health Researchers reported significant enhancement of system productivity in intercropping besides supplying diversified food By improving chemical, biological, and physical environment in the soil, legumes can check the declining productivity of cereal-based cropping system It is important to identify the best intercrops and to assess appropriate doses of nitrogen (N) for the cereal components in intercropping systems considering the sparing effect of biological nitrogen fixation (BNF) from the leguminous component A number of indices such as land equivalent ratio, crop equivalent yield, relative crowding coefficient, competition ratio, aggressivity, actual yield loss, etc have been suggested to evaluate the competition between cereal and legume intercrops and advantage of intercropping compared to sole cropping Although there are some constraints for practicing cereal+legume intercropping systems in large scales like limited availability of good-quality seeds, biofertilizers, and technical and proper scientific knowledge for the complex intercropping system, there is a very good potential to increase the productivity and profitability from resource-poor agricultural systems by adopting this system besides reducing farmers’ risks and improving the soil quality in the long term

Cereal+Legume Intercropping: An Option for Improving Productivity and Sustaining Soil Health

Intercropping of corn with legumes is an alternative to corn monocropping and has a number of advantages, for example, lower levels of inputs, lower cost of production and better silage quality than monocrop systems. An experiment was carried out at two sites in 1993 and 1994 to investigate the effects of seeding soybean or lupin alone or in combination with one of three forages (annual rye-grass, Lolium multiflorum Lam.; perennial ryegrass, Lolium perenne L.; red clover, Trifolium pratense L.) on silage yield and quality. The intercrop plots received 90 kg ha -1 less nitrogen fertilizer than monocrop plots, which received 180 kg ha -1 . Corn biomass yield had a variable response to the treatments, but showed no change at most site-years. Soybean and lupin biomass yields were decreased by intercropping (80-98 % for soybean, and 94-100 % for lupin). However, when corn growth was limited due to poor establishment at one site in 1994, soybean was able to grow well and produce yields similar to those of monocropped soybean. The three underseeded forages did not grow well during the period examined (up to silage harvest) and had no effect on the yield of any crop. Total silage yields were similar to corn monocrop biomass yields even during 1994 at the site with low corn population densities because soybean was able to compensate for reduced corn growth.

Intercropping of Corn with Soybean, Lupin and Forages: Silage Yield and Quality

An experiment was carried out to study the effect of cattle slurry on maize fodder (Zea mays) production. Maize fodder was produced at 4 cattle slurry levels T0 (0 ton/ha), T1 (10 ton/ha), T2 (12 ton/ha) and T3 (14 ton/ha) in a randomized block design. Agronomic characteristics, plant heights, circumference of stems, number of leaves, leaf area and dry matter yield of maize fodder were measured. Maize plant height and stem circumference were significantly (p<0.01) influenced by the increasing rate of cattle slurry at 15, 30, 45 and 56 days after sowing. Number of leaves of fodder plants was not significant but leaf area was significant (p<0.05) among the treatment groups. The highest biomass yield (p<0.01) of maize fodder was observed in T2 (44.0 ton/ha). For crude protein content, a significant difference (p<0.01) was observed in the treatment groups and the highest value was observed in T2 (11.99%). Organic matter content of maize fodder showed a significant difference but ash, ADF and NDF contents showed no significant differences among treatment groups. From this study it may be concluded that the application of 12 tons of cattle slurry/ha was optimal for production of biomass and nutrient content of maize fodder. (Key Words : Cattle Slurry, Biomass Yield, Nutrient Content, Maize Fodder)

M. Pinosa

Papers

Intercropping of soybean and maize for silage in northern Italy : effect of nitrogen level and plant density on growth, yield and protein content