• Authors:
    • Sawargaonkar, G. L.
    • Gadade, G. D.
    • Shinde, V. S.
    • Gokhale, D. N.
    • Zade, K. K.
  • Source: Journal of Cotton Research and Development
  • Volume: 25
  • Issue: 2
  • Year: 2011
  • Summary: Field studies were carried out at Department of Agronomy, Marathwada Agricultural University, Parbhani during, 2007 to 2010 to explore the suitability of different soil moisture conservation and integrated nutrient management (INM) techniques in relation to yield and economics of Bt cotton under rainfed conditions. The results revealed that opening of furrow in alternate row recorded significantly highest seed cotton yield (2758, 2214 and 1452 kg/ha) as compared to cotton+straw mulching (2421, 2003 and 1233 kg/ha) and intercropping of cotton with soybean (2036, 1626 and 1106 kg/ha) treatments during the three year of experimentation respectively. However, intercropping of cotton+soybean recorded significantly highest seed cotton equivalent yield and thereby net returns and B:C ratio over wheat straw mulch and opening of furrow in alternate row. As regards to integrated nutrient management (INM) 100 per cent calculated RDF (100:50:30 N, P 2O 5 and K 2O kg/ha)+micronutrients (zinc, iron and boron) based on soil test recorded significantly highest seed cotton yield as compared to all other INM treatments. However, application of RDF with soil testing (75 per cent N, P 2O 5 and K 2O kg/ha through inorganic+25 per cent N, P 2O 5 and K 2O kg/ha through vermicompost) was next best treatment which recorded significantly highest seed cotton yield over rest of the treatments.
  • Authors:
    • Gowacka, A.
  • Source: Fragmenta Agronomica
  • Volume: 28
  • Issue: 3
  • Year: 2011
  • Summary: The field experiment was conducted in 2004-2006 on a farm in Frankamionka village, near Zamosc. The experiment was located on soil with silty dust grain composition, light acid, with average content of phosphorus and potassium, average content of organic matter (1.9%). The aim of the study was to determined the influence of strip intercropping of maize ( Zea mays L.) with common bean ( Phaseolus vulgaris L.) and spring wheat ( Triticum aestivum L.) on phosphorus and potassium concentration in maize and intake of macroelements with maize yield. The second factor were different methods of weeds regulation (mechanical, mechanical-chemical, chemical). The changes of phosphorus and potassium concentration in dependence of maize row position was also determined. Strip intercropping slightly increased level of phosphorus in corn. The concentrations of phosphorus and potassium in maize differ depending on rows position in strip. In maize from row neighboring with common bean phosphorus concentration was higher than in the next to spring wheat. But potassium concentrations was higher in inner rows. Mechanical method of weed regulation significantly increased concentration and intake of potassium as compared to mechanical-chemical and chemical method.
  • Authors:
    • Gowacka, A.
  • Source: Biuletyn Instytutu Hodowli i Aklimatyzacji Roslin
  • Issue: 259
  • Year: 2011
  • Summary: The influence of sole- or mixed cropping system on yield and its structure was studied in common bean, in combination with different methods of weed control. A field experiment with four replications and split-plot design was conducted in a farm of the Frankamionka village (Zamosc district), in the years 2004-2006. The cropping system was the first factor (sole cropping vs. strip intercropping with fodder maize and spring wheat) and the method of weed control (mechanical, mechanical-chemical, chemical) was the second one. The strip cropping did not affect total seed yield of bean, but significantly increased the trade yield. The lowest yield was obtained at the mechanical weed control. The mechanical-chemical and chemical methods considerably increased the yield, the difference between them was small, but statistically significant. The methods of weed control significantly influenced the yield structure elements, i.e. number of pods per plant, number and mass of seed per plant, mass of 1000 seeds.
  • Authors:
    • Hoare, T.
  • Source: Wine and Viticulture Journal
  • Volume: 26
  • Issue: 3
  • Year: 2011
  • Summary: This paper describes the suitability of rolled cover crops (including oats, triticale and faba beans), white alyssum ( Lobularia maritima), saltbush ( Atriplex semibaccata and Enchylaena tomentosa) and chicory for cultivation with grape under the mid-row crop management system (MCS). The characteristics of vineyards suitable for MCS, and the beneficial effects of the aforementioned crops on vineyard profitability and productivity are covered.
  • Authors:
    • He, K.
    • Wang, Z.
    • Li, W.
    • Huang, Q.
  • Source: Journal of Maize Sciences
  • Volume: 19
  • Issue: 2
  • Year: 2011
  • Summary: Research history and the current status of maize ( Zea mays) rough dwarf disease (MRDD) were reviewed with respect to distribution, symptoms, pathogen, host range, transmission path, and varietal resistance to MRDD. Rice black streaked dwarf virus (RBSDV), maize rough dwarf virus (MRDV) and Mal de Rio Cuarto virus (MRCV) are all causative agents of MRDD around the world. RBSDV is the causative agent of MRDD in China. Small brown planthopper ( Laodelphax striatellus) was the vector of RBSDV. Crop interplanting, especially wheat intercropping with a maize cropping pattern, was closely related to the MRDD, which provided suitable habitat and a recurrent host for L. striatellus and RBSDV. Resistant germplasms have been lacking, and the application and prevention of technology did not meet the demands for managing MRDD until now. Coordinating the relationship between the high-effect planting model (interplanting) and disease prevention, developing simple, practical and high-effect control measures including the innovation of maize germplams resistant to the disease, are the problems needing to be solved in production.
  • Authors:
    • Karagic,
    • Milosevic, B.
    • Milic, D.
    • Mikic, A.
    • Katic, S.
    • Vasiljevic, S.
    • Dusanic, N.
  • Source: Biotechnology in Animal Husbandry
  • Volume: 27
  • Issue: 4
  • Year: 2011
  • Summary: In order to determine an optimum ratio of vetch and wheat ( Triticum aestivum L.) components in their mixture, there has been carried out a four-year trial (autumn 2005-spring 2009) aimed at the yield and quality of winter vetch haylage. The sowing rate of winter vetch was 120 kg ha -1, while the sowing rate of winter wheat was 0, 15, 20, 25 and 30 kg ha -1. An increased proportion of the cereal in its mixture with vetch significantly decreases the stand lodging, have a positive influence on forage yield, but haylage quality is of a poorer quality. Quality characteristics such as crude protein and lignin content, total digestible nutrients, dry matter intake and relative feed value were highest in monoculture common vetch followed by mixture with the lowest rate of wheat. Neutral detergent fiber content was positively affected by intercropping. There were no significant differences among treatments for acid detergent fiber content, digestible dry matter, and net energy for lactation. The most favorable balance between the haylage yield and quality, as well as the highest CP yield (1482 kg ha -1), was achieved by the mixture of 120 kg ha -1 of the vetch seed and 15 kg ha -1 of wheat.
  • Authors:
    • Piepho, H.
    • Hartung, K.
    • Graeff-Honninger, S.
    • Grozinger, H.
    • Knorzer, H.
    • Claupein, W.
  • Source: Field Crops Research
  • Volume: 121
  • Issue: 2
  • Year: 2011
  • Summary: Wheat/maize related multi-cropping systems are the dominant cropping systems in North China. To improve and adjust those systems, and to study competition effects within intercropping, extended field experiments are necessary. As field experiments are time consuming, laborious and expensive, a viable alternative is the use of crop growth models that can quantify the effects of management practices on crop growth and productivity. Field experiments showed that intercropped maize yielded as high as monocropped maize, and grain yield of intercropped wheat increased by up to 32%. Based on a process-oriented modeling approach, this study focuses on analyzing and modeling competitive relationships in a wheat/maize relay intercropping system with regard to yield, solar radiation and microclimate effects. A simple shading algorithm was applied and integrated into the CERES models, which are part of the DSSAT software shell vs. 4.5. The algorithm developed estimates the proportion of shading as affected by neighbouring plant height. The model was tested to investigate the applicability of this shading algorithm within the CERES models in the simulation of grain yield and dry matter yield of wheat and maize. Model error of grain and dry matter yield for both species was below 10%. There was a tendency for grain yield to be simulated adequately but for dry matter yield to be slightly underestimated. Increased top soil temperature in intercropped wheat increased the mineralization of nitrogen and improved N supply. The wheat/maize system was N efficient. Thus, N dynamics were taken into account for simulation as well as CO 2 dynamics based upon modified wind speed. Wheat border rows were exposed to a higher wind speed until mid-June and to reduced wind speed thereafter. As a result, solar radiation, soil temperature and wind speed differed between monocropping and intercropping and could provide a starting point for simulating intercropping. Microclimate effects are often small, subtle or non-existent, while spatial and climate variability and the heterogeneity of plant populations can be considerable. Quantifying microclimatic effects may prove difficult but should not be neglected when simulating intercropping systems.
  • Authors:
    • Nuermaimaiti, T.
    • Zhang, X.
    • Zhao, Q.
    • Gao, Y.
    • Sailihan, S.
    • Qiao, X.
    • Chen, X.
    • Lei, J.
  • Source: Xinjiang Agricultural Sciences
  • Volume: 47
  • Issue: 12
  • Year: 2011
  • Summary: Objective: The present study was set to discuss ecological effects and physiological characteristics of wheat of apricot and wheat intercropping system. Method: The area from Apricot base point to the middle of two rows of apricot trees are divided into three areas: area under the crown, area near crown, area far away from crown. Study on changes in physiological characteristics of ecological indicators in the apricot and wheat intercropping in wind speed, soil temperature, chlorophyll content. Result: The colser from the distance of the apricot, the lower soil water content in wheat field; The wind speed, plant nutrients in apricot and wheat intercropping field are less than that in wheat monoculture field. Soil temperature under 5 cm for the apricot and wheat intercropping system are less than that in wheat monoculture field before 14:00; soil temperature under 5 cm of wheat monoculture field are higher than that of apricot and wheat intercropping system after 14:00. Wheat booting stage is the obvious contradiction of competition for water between wheat and apricot. Compared with different crown area in intercropping system, the area far away from crown demands for more chlorophyll content of wheat. Compared with wheat monoculture field and intercropping system, there was a fight for nutrient between wheat plants and apricot trees in intercropping field. The efficiency of uptaking nutrient of wheat plants was much lower than that of apricot trees nutrient content of less. Conclusion: Under apricot tree and wheat plant intercropping conditions, the closer from the distance of apricot trees, the less the soil moisture content, the less chlorophyll content of wheat plant. The physiological characteristics of wheat in monoculture field were superior to that in intercropping field.
  • Authors:
    • Zhang, F.
    • An, M.
    • Christie, P.
    • Sun, J.
    • Yu, C.
    • Li, Y.
    • Li, C.
    • Li, L.
  • Source: Plant and Soil
  • Volume: 342
  • Issue: 1/2
  • Year: 2011
  • Summary: Increasing crop nitrogen use efficiency while also simultaneously decreasing nitrogen accumulation in the soil would be key steps in controlling nitrogen pollution from agricultural systems. Long-term field experiments were started in 2003 to study the effects of intercropping on crop N use and soil mineral N accumulation in wheat ( Triticum aestivum L. cv 2014)/maize ( Zea mays L. cv Shendan16), wheat/faba bean ( Vicia faba L. cv Lincan No. 5) and maize/faba bean intercropping and monocropping systems. Monocropping was compared with two types of strip intercropping: continuous intercropping (two crops intercropped continuously on the same strips of land every year) and rotational intercropping (two crops grown adjacently and rotated to the other crop's strip every year). Maize/faba bean intercropping had greater crop N uptake than did wheat/faba bean or wheat/maize. Wheat/maize accumulated more mineral N in the top 140 cm of the soil profile during the co-growth stage from maize emergence to maturity of wheat or faba bean. Continuously intercropped maize substantially decreased soil mineral N accumulation under wheat and faba bean rows (60-100 cm soil depth) at maize harvest. Soil mineral N accumulation under wheat rows increased with rotational intercropping with faba bean. Rotational intercropping may potentially alleviate the adverse effects of wheat on N use by other crops and increase the nitrogen harvest index of wheat, maize and faba bean. Intercropping using species with different maturity dates may be more effective in increasing crop N use efficiency and decreasing soil mineral N accumulation.
  • Authors:
    • Li, L.
    • Zhang, F.
    • Christie, P.
    • Wei, X.
    • Sun, J.
    • Li, Q.
  • Source: Plant and Soil
  • Volume: 339
  • Issue: 1/2
  • Year: 2011
  • Summary: Interspecific interactions and soil nitrogen supply levels affect intercropping productivity. We hypothesized that interspecific competition can be alleviated by increasing N application rate and yield advantage can be obtained in competitive systems. A field experiment was conducted in Wuwei, Gansu province in 2007 and 2008 to study intercropping of faba bean/maize, wheat/maize, barley/maize and the corresponding monocultures of faba bean ( Vicia faba L.), wheat ( Triticum aestivum L.), barley ( Hordeum vulgare L.) and maize ( Zea mays L.) with N application rates of 0, 75, 150, 225 and 300 kg N ha -1. Total land equivalent ratios (TLER) were 1.22 for faba bean/maize, 1.16 for wheat/maize, and 1.13 for barley/maize intercropping over the 2-year study period. Maize was overyielding when intercropped with faba bean, but underyielding when intercropped with wheat or barley according to partial land equivalent ratios (PLER) based on grain yields of individual crops in intercropping and sole cropping. There was an interspecific facilitation between intercropped faba bean and maize, and interspecific competition between maize and either wheat or barley. The underyielding of maize was higher when intercropped with barley than with wheat. Fertilizer N alleviated competitive interactions in intercrops with adequate fertilizer N at 225 kg ha -1. Yield advantage of intercropping can be acquired with adequate nitrogen supply, even in an intensive competitive system such as barley/maize intercropping. This is important when using intercropping to develop intensive farming systems with high inputs and high outputs.