• Authors:
    • Joshi, O. P.
    • Billore, S. D.
    • Bhatia, V. S.
    • Ramesh, A.
  • Source: Soybean Research
  • Volume: 9
  • Year: 2011
  • Summary: The work done so far on soybean-based intercropping systems in India involving crops like sorghum, maize, pigeonpea, pearl millet, cotton, sugarcane, minor millets, wheat, rice, oilseeds and plantation crops is reviewed. The compilation brings out the possibilities of rational utilization of natural resources by resorting to diversified cultivation rather than monoculture of crops. Soybean being a short duration leguminous crop with wide agro-climatic adaptability, offers a good opportunity to fit in cropping systems in different regions with added advantage of better economic returns, risk coverage and utilization of natural resources. The benefits of sustainability can be harnessed by adoption of scientifically evaluated and suggested intercropping systems.
  • Authors:
    • Nogueira, C. C. P.
    • Veloso, M. E. da C.
    • Freire Filho, F. R.
    • Cardoso, M. J.
    • Blanco, F. F.
    • Dias, N. da S.
  • Source: Pesquisa Agropecuária Brasileira
  • Volume: 46
  • Issue: 5
  • Year: 2011
  • Summary: The objective of this work was to evaluate the response of green maize ( Zea mays) intercropped with cowpea ( Vigna unguiculata) to irrigation depths and phosphorus doses. The experiments were carried out in 2008 and 2009 in a randomized block design, with 25 treatments and four replicates. Treatments consisted of five irrigation depths at 70, 110, 140, 180 and 220% of the crop evapotranspiration, and of five doses of P 2O 5: 0, 50, 100, 150 and 200% of the recommended P dose. Maize was sown at 0.80*0.40 m spacing, and cowpea was planted inside the lines among maize plants. There was no effect of P 2O 5 doses, but the response to irrigation depths was quadratic for maize and linear for cowpea. The maximum technical yield of green ears of maize with straw (10.76 Mg ha -1) and without straw (7.62 Mg ha -1) was obtained with 530 mm depth, intermediary to the 180 and 220% of the crop evapotranspiration. The highest cowpea green grain (3.40 Mg ha -1) was obtained with the highest water depth, of 644 mm.
  • Authors:
    • Encide-Olibone,A. P.
    • Olibone,D.
    • Rosolem,C. A.
  • Source: Soil Use and Management
  • Volume: 26
  • Issue: 4
  • Year: 2010
  • Summary: Crop rotation and the maintenance of plant residues over the soil can increase soil water storage capacity. Root access to water and nutrients depends on soil physical characteristics that may be expressed in the Least Limiting Water Range (LLWR) concept. In this work, the effects of crop rotation and chiselling on the soil LLWR to a depth of 0.1 m and crop yields under no-till were studied on a tropical Alfisol in Sao Paulo state, Brazil, for 3 yr. Soybean and corn were grown in the summer in rotation with pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum, Linneu, cv. ADR 300), grain sorghum (Sorghum bicolor, L., Moench), congo grass (Brachiaria ruziziensis, Germain et Evrard) and castor bean (Ricinus comunis, Linneu) during fall/winter and spring, under no-till or chiselling. The LLWR was determined right after the desiccation of the cover crops and before soybean planting. Soil physico-hydraulic conditions were improved in the uppermost soil layers by crop rotations under zero tillage, without initial chiselling, from the second year and on, resulting in soil quality similar to that obtained with chiselling. In seasons without severe water shortage, crop yields were not limited by soil compaction, however, in a drier season, the rotation with congo grass alone or intercropped with castor resulted in the greatest cover crop dry matter yield. Soybean yields did not respond to modifications in the LLWR.
  • Authors:
    • Sharaiha, R.
    • Adamu, M.
  • Source: World Journal of Agricultural Sciences
  • Volume: 6
  • Issue: 6
  • Year: 2010
  • Summary: Mixed cropping of barley and durum wheat has been the practice of smallholder farmers in some drylands of Ethiopia even though the reasons for this successful cropping system were not well understood. Therefore, four planting densities, five intercrop proportions and three irrigation water levels were studied in a split-split plot arrangement in RCBD with three replications to determine the competition levels and resource use of barley and wheat mixed cropping under different growth stages. Barley was more competitive at early stages, while wheat dominated towards the reproductive stage. Intra- and inter-specific competition was decreased with increasing irrigation water levels but it was increased with increasing planting densities. Intraspecific competition was increased with increasing barley ratio in the cropping systems at all irrigation water levels, planting densities and harvesting stages. Fast growing nature of barley at early growth stages helps the intercropping system in that barley can capture belowground and areal resources faster, while wheat grows slowly and demands less resource at earlier growth stages. At later stages when wheat becomes dominant and resource demanding, early maturity of barley leaves more space for wheat to satisfy its resource demand. Thus niche differentiation index was consistently more than one in all growth stages and irrigation water levels. Therefore, mixed cropping of these two crop species helps combine important characters in a cropping system so as to enhance productivity through complementary resource uses in drylands.
  • Authors:
    • Hussain, F.
    • Akhter, J.
    • Ashraf, M.
    • Iqbal, Z.
    • Yaqub, M.
    • Akhtar, M.
  • Source: Pakistan Journal of Botany
  • Volume: 42
  • Issue: 6
  • Year: 2010
  • Summary: Soil fertility and organic matter in our soils are on decline. Legume intercropping and manuring are important measures to sustain fertility and enhance productivity of soil. Four wheat cultivars Inqlab-91, WL-886, 1076 & 41 grown in field either as mono crop or intercropped with chickpea (CM 88) were evaluated with respect to yield, nutrient (N & P) uptake, compatibility and profitability. Prior to establishment of experiment, soil was enriched by green manuring of vegetative biomass of legume cereal for the last two years to raise organic matter/nutrients contents sufficienctly for growing a crop without mineral fertilizer addition. In monoculture, wheat cultivar Inqlab-91 produced the maximum grain (3294 kg ha -1) than other wheat lines (WL). In intercropping system, one hactare of land produced a maximum grain yield of WL-1076 (2456 kg) along with additional chickpea grain yield (1302 kg) while an other association produced maximum grain yield of chickpea (1795 kg) along with additional wheat yield (2144 kg by Inqlab-91). Cumulative grain value (Rs. ha -1) in intercropping culture was two times higher compared to that of wheat mono cropping. Associated crops accumulated significantly higher N in their biomass with a maximum of 87 kg ha -1 (by Inqlab+chickpea), compared to a maximum of 58 kg ha -1 by wheat (Inqlab-91) as mono culture. Phosphorus uptake by associated crops was also higher compared to wheat grown alone. The results clearly suggested superiority of wheat-chickpea co-cropping over wheat monoculture in terms of enhanced nutrient utilization, crop yield and farm income.
  • Authors:
    • Nursoy, H.
    • Aksoy, I.
  • Source: Kafkas Universitesi Veteriner Fakultesi Dergisi
  • Volume: 16
  • Issue: 6
  • Year: 2010
  • Summary: Hungarian vetch intercropped with wheat at 50:50 ratio planted at dryland in Autumn were harvested seven times at weekly intervals between mid June and late July. The study was conducted to determine the effects of harvesting frequency on the nutrient content, in vitro digestibility, relative feed value (RFV) and rumen degradation kinetics of the forages. Results revealed that harvesting frequency had no effect on dry matter, ash and organic matter of Hungarian vetch and wheat, but the NDF and ADF ratios increased. The crude protein ratios increased upto 20 July, while the digestibility level was observed between 30.10 and 53.24%, but significantly decreased with increasing maturity (P
  • Authors:
    • Bagwan, N.
  • Source: International Journal of Plant Protection
  • Volume: 3
  • Issue: 2
  • Year: 2010
  • Summary: Crop root exudates of 20 crops like groundnut, soybean, pigeonpea, green gram, black gram, chickpea, pea, cowpea, mustard, cotton, castor, sunflower, safflower, sesamum, sorghum, pearl millet, maize, wheat, onion, and garlic were used in this study. Large variations of inhibitory effect of root exudates on S. rolfsii were observed. Low concentrations of root exudates (5% and 10%) had no effect on inhibition of mycelial growth and germination of sclerotia while, at high concentration (20%) inhibited the mycelial growth and germination of sclerotia. Mycelial growth, dry mycelium weight and sclerotial germination were recorded lowest in root exudates of sunflower, maize, pearl millet, sorghum, safflower, garlic, and onion. Mycelial growth, dry mycelium weight and sclerotial germination was recorded highest in root exudates of soybean, groundnut, green gram, black gram, pigeonpea, chickpea, pea and cowpea. It was observed that the root exudates of maize, sunflower and pearl millet showed a highest percentage of inhibition of mycelial growth and sclerotial germination. Another interesting of thing was observed that root exudates of groundnut, soybean and pea stimulate the mycelial growth and germination of sclerotia as compared to control. The results of this study suggested that the intercropping or crop rotation of safflower, maize, pearl millet, sorghum, sunflower, garlic, and onion with groundnut may be useful for the management of stem rot of groundnut and also for reduction of soil population of S. rolfsii in groundnut field. Similarly intercropping or crop rotation of soybean, green gram, black gram, chickpea, pea and cowpea with groundnut should be avoided. Based on these findings, it is hypothesized that root exudates of some crops contain antifungal compounds, while other stimulate the growth of fungal pathogens. Cultivation of safflower, maize, pearl millet and sorghum with groundnut could lead to a reduction in the occurrence of stem rot disease, especially when chemical control is not effective and economically costly. However, further investigation is necessary for isolation and identification of antifungal compounds in root exudates related to host-pathogen interaction.
  • Authors:
    • Bedoussac, L.
    • Justes, E.
  • Source: Plant and Soil
  • Volume: 330
  • Issue: 1/2
  • Year: 2010
  • Summary: In a previous paper [Bedoussac L, Justes E ( 2009) Plant Soil, doi: 10.1007/s11104-009-0082-2], we showed that intercropping of durum wheat and winter pea increased the yield and protein concentration of durum wheat when early N availability was less than 120 kg N ha -1. The aim of the present work was to understand these results by analysing intercrop species dynamics for growth, light and N acquisition. A 2-year field experiment was carried out in southwest France with different fertilizer-N levels in order to compare wheat ( Triticum turgidum L.) and pea ( Pisum sativum L.) grown as sole crops and as an intercrop in a row substitutive design. The advantages of intercropping in low N conditions were due mainly to: (1) better light use (up to 10%), thanks to species dynamic complementarity for leaf area index and height; (2) growth complementarity over time (higher growth rate of wheat until pea flowering and then of pea until wheat flowering); and (3) dynamic complementary N acquisition associated with better wheat N status throughout growth. Disadvantages, underlining poorer complementarity within the intercrop stand, were observed with ample available N in early growth. This induced higher cereal growth during winter, which led to increase interspecies competition by reducing pea light absorption and, consequently, its biomass production.
  • Authors:
    • Bedoussac, L.
    • Justes, E.
  • Source: PLANT AND SOIL
  • Volume: 330
  • Issue: 1/2
  • Year: 2010
  • Summary: Grain protein concentration of durum wheat is often too low, particularly in low-N-input systems. The aim of our study was to test whether a durum wheat-winter pea intercrop can improve relative yield and durum wheat grain protein concentration in low-N-input systems. A 2-year field experiment was carried out in SW France with different fertilizer-N levels to compare wheat ( Triticum turgidum L., cv. Nefer) and pea (winter pea, Pisum sativum L., cv. Lucy) grown as sole crops or intercrops in a row-substitutive design. Without N fertilization or when N was applied late (N available until pea flowering less than about 120 kg N ha -1), intercrops were up to 19% more efficient than sole crops for yield and up to 32% for accumulated N, but were less efficient with large fertilizer N applications. Wheat grain protein concentration was significantly higher in intercrops than in sole crops (14% on average) because more N was remobilized into wheat grain due to: (i) fewer ears per square metre in intercrops and (ii) a similar amount of available soil N as in sole crops due to the high pea N 2 fixation rate in intercrops (88% compared to 58% in sole crops).
  • Authors:
    • Yaduraju, N. T.
    • Das, T. K.
    • Tadesse, B.
  • Source: Weed Biology and Management
  • Volume: 10
  • Issue: 3
  • Year: 2010
  • Summary: Parthenium is widely distributed across the uncropped areas of the tropics. It has slowly encroached into many crops and causes considerable yield loss. It heavily infests sorghum, which is widely cultivated by the resource-poor farmers in Africa and Asia. Its interference and management in sorghum in these cropping systems is not well understood. Therefore, this experiment was undertaken to determine the appropriate parthenium management techniques to use in sorghum crops. All the studied weeds, in combination with parthenium, offered greater competition to sorghum than parthenium alone. Similarly, under a composite stand of weeds, parthenium was inferior in competitiveness to the other weeds until 60 days after sowing (DAS); by 90 DAS, it could accumulate a higher dry weight due to its consistent growth. A pre-emergence treatment of atrazine (0.75 kg ha -1) with wheat straw mulch (5.0 t ha -1) brought about a consistent and significant reduction in the parthenium growth and, consequently, increased the sorghum yield by 90.8%. Cowpea intercropping with and without pendimethalin (1.0 kg ha -1) as a pre-emergence treatment could not control parthenium between 0 and 60 DAS, but could reduce the parthenium growth during the later period of 60-90 DAS, which resulted in a significant increase in sorghum growth. These intercropping treatments increased the sorghum grain yield by 156.2% and 142.4%, respectively, over the unweeded control and by 18.5% and 12.1%, respectively, over the weed-free control. These treatments also promoted a higher uptake of N, P, and K by the sorghum crop. Thus, cowpea intercropping was the most effective method for parthenium management vis-a-vis sorghum yield improvement, followed by cowpea intercropping with pendimethalin and then by atrazine as a pre-emergence treatment with wheat straw mulch.