Intercropping Maize and Faba Bean for Silage Under Swedish Climate Conditions
TL;DR: The results showed that intercropping silage maize and faba beans is possible under Swedish climate conditions and improves the forage quality compared with sole maize.
Abstract: Cultivation of forage maize is increasing in Sweden. Sole maize is low in protein and supplementation of protein feed is needed. This study investigated whether forage maize and legumes can be intercropped in a system suitable for farmers (simultaneous sowing and harvest) under Swedish climate conditions, and whether intercropping maize and faba bean improves the forage quality compared with sole maize. Two field experiments were performed in which maize intercropped with faba bean (Vicia faba L.) in alternate rows with 0 or 60 kg N/ha was compared with sole maize crop with 120 kg N/ha. Maize dry matter (DM) yield decreased by intercropping (from mean 14,171 kg DM/ha for sole maize to 8,888–10,791 kg DM/ha for intercropped maize). Mean yield of faba bean ranged from 2,907 to 2,966 kg DM/ha. Compared with sole maize, intercropped treatments slightly increased forage protein content (mean increase 10–15 g/kg DM). Furthermore, intercropping increased forage in vitro organic matter digestibility by 4 % units (from 80.8 to 84.7 %), while the starch concentration slightly decreased from 316 to 236–254 g/kg DM. Intercropping increased neutral detergent fibre concentration from 435 to 478–497 g/kg DM and the sugar concentration from 57.3 to 61.5–72.3 g/kg DM. The results showed that intercropping silage maize and faba beans is possible under Swedish climate conditions.
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TL;DR: In this paper, the DAISY model was used to study maize growth and soil nitrogen dynamics in monocrop and intercropped systems in a North European climate and soil conditions with the support of a simulation model.
Abstract: To study maize (Zea mays L.) growth and soil nitrogen (N) dynamics in monocrop and intercropped systems in a North European climate and soil conditions with the support of a simulation model. Field data for 3 years at two sites/soil types in Denmark and three main factors: (i) cropping history (maize or grass-clover), (ii) maize monocrop or intercropped with red fescue (Festuca rubra L.) and (iii) three fertilizer N rates, were used to calibrate and validate the DAISY model for simulation of crop growth and soil N dynamics. Field and model results were used to study the treatment effects on the maize systems. Intercropped maize had 15–37 % lower N leaching than monocrop maize. Maize intercropping following a maize crop was achieved without yield loss at the standard N rate or higher, while red fescue offset N leaching. Maize intercropping following grass-clover needed less N, thereby greatly reducing the N leaching. The hypothesis that maize intercropping with fertilizer N rates applicable to monocrop maize decreases N leaching without significant yield loss was largely supported given the effect of cropping history and soil type. The applicability of DAISY was extended to provide better analyses of intercropping systems and complex management options to reduce N leaching across northern Europe.
65 citations
Cites background from "Intercropping Maize and Faba Bean f..."
...Studies of intercropping maize in North Europe are scanty (Stoltz and Nadeau 2014; Stoltz et al. 2013)....
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TL;DR: Results show that intercropping maize and faba bean in organic production can generate positive yield effects with LER > 1 and resulted in higher protein content and lower residual soil mineral N after harvest compared to monocropped maize, which can increase the sustainability of forage production.
56 citations
01 Jan 2016
TL;DR: In this article, a study was conducted to determine silage nutritive quality and fermentation profiles of corn grown in mixture with soybean at different crop combination ratio, and corn-soybean combinations of 75:25, 50:50 and 25:75 in addition to monocrops of corn and soybean were evaluated.
Abstract: Corn silage is an important feed for intensive ruminant production. Combining corn with legumes for silage is a feasible strategy to improve crude protein (CP) concentration in corn silage. This study was conducted to determine silage nutritive quality and fermentation profiles of corn grown in mixture with soybean at different crop combination ratio. In this experiment, corn-soybean combinations of 75:25, 50:50 and 25:75 in addition to monocrops of corn and soybean were evaluated. The crop combination ratio had significant effects on nutritive quality and fermentation characteristics of silage. Silage quality in terms of CP (75:25 ratio 12.23%, 50:50 ratio 12.88% and 25:75 ratio 13.65%) was improved by intercropping compared with corn sole crop (9.91% CP). Increase ratio of soybean resulted in an increase in lactic acid and pH of the mixed silage. Sole soybean gave significantly higher lactic acid (3.57%) and pH of silage (4.33) compared to all other treatments but dry matter concentration was significantly higher in corn monocrop silage (34.34%) than other treatments. The propionic acid and butyric acid content of soybean monocrop and intercrops silage were in all cases higher than sole corn silage.
12 citations
Cites result from "Intercropping Maize and Faba Bean f..."
...These results were in contrast to those reported by Stoltz et al. (2013) who found a higher concentration of butyric acid in corn monoculture compared with corn-faba bean....
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TL;DR: In the Upper Thukela region of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa as discussed by the authors, maize monocropping and cattle communal grazing are the major farming systems for smallholder farmers.
Abstract: Monocropping of maize (Zea mays L.) and communal grazing of livestock (cattle) are the major farming systems for smallholder farmers in the Upper Thukela region of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa. Howe...
12 citations
Cites background from "Intercropping Maize and Faba Bean f..."
...Fodder and grain from the sole maize cropping system are low in protein and supplementation with protein-rich feed is needed (Stoltz, Nadeau, and Wallenhammar 2013)....
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References
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TL;DR: In addition to NDF, new improved methods for total dietary fiber and nonstarch polysaccharides including pectin and beta-glucans now are available and are also of interest in rumen fermentation.
23,302 citations
TL;DR: A universal scale using a decimal code for the description of the growth stages of most agricultural crops and weeds is proposed, based on the well-known Zadoks code for cereals.
Abstract: Summary
A universal scale (to be known as the BBCH scale) using a decimal code for the description of the growth stages of most agricultural crops and weeds is proposed. The scale and codes are based on the well-known Zadoks code for cereals.
Developmentally similar growth stages of different crops are given the same codes. The general scale provides a framework within which more specific scales for individual crops may be constructed. The uniformity of the scale makes it easy to remember and use in agricultural practice and simplifies storage and retrieval in a computer system.
A description of the general scale is given followed by specific scales for cereals, rice, maize, oilseed rape, field beans, peas and sunflower. Comparisons with scales currently in use are given where appropriate.
1,569 citations
TL;DR: In this paper, a comprehensive summary and interpretation of these interactions with specific emphasis on high yield environments is lacking. But the results from many N fertilization studies are often confounded by insufficiently optimized BNF or other management factors that may have precluded achieving BNF-mediated yields near the yield potential ceiling.
831 citations
"Intercropping Maize and Faba Bean f..." refers background in this paper
...Nitrogen fertilisation did not have any effect on the yield of faba bean in the present study (Table 2), but it has been shown that addition of nitrogen can increase yield of faba bean [7, 24], or it can inhibit nitrogen fixation in legumes [36]....
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TL;DR: It is shown that a new mechanism of overyielding, in which phosphorus mobilized by one crop species increases the growth of a second crop species grown in alternate rows, led to large yield increases on phosphorus-deficient soils.
Abstract: Intercropping, which grows at least two crop species on the same pieces of land at the same time, can increase grain yields greatly. Legume–grass intercrops are known to overyield because of legume nitrogen fixation. However, many agricultural soils are deficient in phosphorus. Here we show that a new mechanism of overyielding, in which phosphorus mobilized by one crop species increases the growth of a second crop species grown in alternate rows, led to large yield increases on phosphorus-deficient soils. In 4 years of field experiments, maize (Zea mays L.) overyielded by 43% and faba bean (Vicia faba L.) overyielded by 26% when intercropped on a low-phosphorus but high-nitrogen soil. We found that overyielding of maize was attributable to below-ground interactions between faba bean and maize in another field experiment. Intercropping with faba bean improved maize grain yield significantly and above-ground biomass marginally significantly, compared with maize grown with wheat, at lower rates of P fertilizer application ( 112.5 kg of P2O5 per hectare). By using permeable and impermeable root barriers, we found that maize overyielding resulted from its uptake of phosphorus mobilized by the acidification of the rhizosphere via faba bean root release of organic acids and protons. Faba bean overyielded because its growth season and rooting depth differed from maize. The large increase in yields from intercropping on low-phosphorus soils is likely to be especially important on heavily weathered soils.
681 citations
"Intercropping Maize and Faba Bean f..." refers background in this paper
...An explanation could be that the roots of the faba beans make available plant nutrients which can be assimilated by the maize [20, 21]....
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TL;DR: Interspecific complementary and competitive interactions between maize and faba bean intercropping systems were assessed in two field experiments and a microplot experiment in one treatment of one of the field experiments in which root system partitions were used to determine interspecific root interactions.
Abstract: Interspecific complementary and competitive interactions between maize (Zea mays L. cv. Zhongdan No. 2) and faba bean (Vicia faba L. cv. Linxia Dacaidou) in maize/faba bean intercropping systems were assessed in two field experiments in Gansu province, northwestern China, plus a microplot experiment in one treatment of one of the field experiments in which root system partitions were used to determine interspecific root interactions. Intercropping effects were detected, with land equivalent ratio values of 1.21–1.23 based on total (grain+straw) yield and 1.13–1.34 based on grain yield. When two rows of maize were intercropped with two rows of faba bean, both total yield and grain yield of both crop species were significantly higher than those of sole maize and faba bean on an equivalent area basis. When two rows of pea (Pisum sativum L. cv. Beijing No. 5) were intercropped with two rows of faba bean, neither total yield nor grain yield of faba bean was higher than of sole faba bean on an equivalent area basis. Interspecific competition between maize and faba bean was relatively weak, with mean relative crowding coefficients of 0.99–1.02 for maize and 1.55–1.59 for faba bean. The microplot experiment in which partitions were placed between root systems showed a significant positive yield effect on maize when the root systems intermingled freely (no partition) or partly (400 mesh nylon net partition) compared with no interspecific root interaction (plastic sheet partition).
280 citations