Evaluation of Corn-Soybean Intercropping Advantages Using Agronomic and Weed Control Efficiency Indices

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

Abstract

In this study effect of additive intercropping of different soybean densities on economic and biological yield of corn and index of weed control efficiency was evaluated at the climate condition of Hamedan during growing season of 2011. Complete randomized block design (RCBD) with three replications and five treatments included T1 and T2; Pure stand of corn with and without weeding, respectively and T3, T4 and T5; additive intercropping of 15, 30 and 45 percent of pure stand of soybean (40 plants per m-2) with corn, respectively. Results indicated that experimental treatments had significant effects (p<0.01) on grain and biological yields of corn. But, the effect of treatment on harvest index was not significant. The highest grain (803 g m-2) and biological (1793 g m-2) yield were achieved at T1 (Pure stand of corn with weeding) treatment. However, there is no significant difference for these traits between T1 and T5 (additive intercropping 45 percent of soybean with corn) treatments. Using soybean as a companion crop had significant effect on weed control. As, minimum values of weed biomass and weed density; in averaging 53 g m-2 with 17 plant m-2 and 52 g m-2 with 8 plant m-2 were observed at T4 and T5 treatments, respectively.  Treatment of T5 can be introduce as a best treatment, because it can suppress weeds in the corn field and had the lowest value of competition index (0.04), the highest values of land equivalent ratio (1.27), total relative value (1.33) and weed control efficiency (83.20%)  and produced the highest value of grain yield (758 g m-2). 

Keywords

References

Abdin OM, Coulman BE, Cloutier D, Faris MA, Zhou X and Smith DL, 2000. Yield and yield components of corn interseeded with cover crops. Agronomy Journal, 90: 63–68.                        
 Adu-Gyamfi JJ, Myaka FA, Sakala WD, Odgaard R, Vesterager JM and Yensen HH, 2007. Biological nitrogen fixation and nitrogen and phosphorus in farm- managed intercrops of maize- pigeon pea in semi- arid southern and eastern Africa. Plant and Soil, 295: 127-136.      
Agegnnehu G, Ghizaw A and Sinebo W, 2006. Yield performance and land use efficiency of barley and faba bean mixed cropping in Ethiopian highlands. European Journal of Agronomy, 25: 202-207.
Alford CM, Kral JM and Miller DS, 2003. Intercropping irrigated corn with annual legumes for forage in the high plains. Agronomy Journal, 95: 520-525.           
Banik P, Midya A, Sarkar BK and Ghose SS, 2006. Wheat and chickpea intercropping systems in additive series experiment: advantages and weed smothering. European Journal of Agronomy. 24: 324-332.
Carruthers K, Cloutier QFD and Smith DL, 1998. Intercropping corn with soybean, lupine and forages: weed control by intercrops combined with inter row cultivation. European Journal of Agronomy, 8: 225-235.
Deveikyte I, Kadziuliene Z and Sarunaite L, 2009. Weed suppression ability of spring cereal crops and peas in pure and mixed stands. Agronomy Research. 7: 239–244.                     
 Erice G, Louahlia S, Irigoyen JJ, Sanchez-Diaz M and Avice JC, 2010. Biomass partitioning, morphology and water status of four alfalfa genotypes submitted to progressive drought and subsequent recovery. Journal of Plant Physiology, 167: 114–120.     
Exner DN and Cruse RM, 1993. Interseeded forage legume potential as winter ground cover, nitrogen source, and competition. Journal of Production Agriculture, 6: 226–231.                
Francis R and Decoteau DR, 1993. Developing and effective southern pea and sweet corn intercropping system. Horticultural Technology, 3: 178- 184.      
Gao Y, Duan A, Qiu X, Liu Z, Sun J, Zhang J and Wang H, 2010. Distribution of roots and root length density in a maize/soybean strip intercropping system. Agriculture Water Management, 98: 199–212.
Ghosh PK, 2004. Growth, yield, competition and economics of groundnut/cereal fodder intercropping systems in the semi-arid tropics of India. Field Crops Research, 88: 227–237.
Gomez P and Gurevitch J, 1998. Weed responses in a corn – soybean intercrop. Applied Vegetation Science, 1: 281-288                       
Gomez P and Gurevitch J, 2005. Weed community responses in a corn-soybean intercrop. Opulus Press, 1: 281-288.
Hamzei J, Seyedi M, Ahmadvand G and Abutalebian MA, 2012. The effect of additive intercropping on weed suppression, yield and yield component of chickpea and barley. Journal of Crop Production and Processing, 2: 43-55.                 
Hauggaard-Nielsen H, Ambus P and Jensen ES, 2003. The comparison of nitrogen use and leaching in sole cropped versus intercropped pea and barley. Nutrient Cycling in Agroecosystems, 65: 289–300.
Hauggaard-Nielsen, H, Andersen MK, Jornsgaard B and Jensen ES, 2006. Density and relative frequency effects on competitive interactions and resource use in pea-barley intercrops. Field Crops Research, 95: 256–267.
Hauggaard-Nielsen H, Gooding BM, Ambus AP, Corre-Hellou CG, Crozat CY, Dahlmann DC, Dibet CA, Fragstein DP, Pristeri EA, Monti EM and Jensen AES, 2009. Pea–barley intercropping for efficient symbiotic N2-fixation, soil N acquisition and use of other nutrients in European organic cropping system. Field Crops Research, 113: 64–71.           
Herbert SJ, Putnam DH, Poss-Floyed MI, Vargas A and Crieghton JF, 1984. Forage yield of intercropped cotton and soybean in various plant patterns. Agronomy Journal, 79:507-510.               
 Ilnicki RD and Enache AJ, 1992. Subterranean clover living mulch: an alternative method of weed control. Agriculture, Ecosystem and Environment, 40: 249-264.
Inal A, Gunes A Zhang F and Cakmak I, 2007. Peanut/maize intercropping induced changes in rhizosphere and nutrient concentrations in shoots. Plant Physiology and Biochemistry, 45: 350–356.
Midya A, Bhattacharjee K Ghose SS and Banik P, 2005. Deferred seeding of blackgram (Phaseolus mungo L.) in rice (Oryza sativa L.) field on yield advantages and smothering of weeds. Journal of Agronomy and Crop Science, 191: 195–201.                          
Misra AK, Acharya CL and RaoAS, 2006. Interspecific interaction and nutrient use in soybean/sorghum intercropping system. Agronomy Journal, 98: 1097–1108.       
Mohler CL and Liebman M, 1987. Weed productivity and composition in sole crops and intercrops of barley and field pea. Journal of Applied Ecology, 24: 685-699.                  
Moser SM, Feil B, Jampatong S and Stamp P, 2006. Effects of pre-anthesis drought nitrogen fertilizer rate and variety on grain yield, yield components and harvest index of tropical maize. Agriculture water management, 81: 41- 58                                                                              
Neumann A, Schmidtke K and Rauber R, 2007. Effects of crop density and tillage system on grain yield and N uptake from soil and atmosphere of sole and intercropped pea and oat. Field Crops Research, 100: 285-293.
Poggio S L, 2005. Structure of weed communities occurring in monoculture and intercropping of field pea and barley. Agriculture, Ecosystem and Environment, 109: 48-58.     
Shaygan M, Mazaheri D, Rahimian Mashhadi H and Peyghambari SA, 2008. Effect of planting date and intercropping maize (Zea mays L.) and foxtail millet (Setaria italica L.) on their grain yield and weeds control. Journal of Crop Science, 10: 31- 46.                                                                   
Silva PS L, Oliveira OF, Silva PIB, Silva KMB and Braga JD, 2009. Effect of cowpea intercropping on weed control and corn yield. Planta Daninha, 27: 491-497.     
Singh RK, Singh SRK Gautam US, 2013. Weed control efficiency of herbicides in irrigated wheat (Triticum aestivum). Indian Research Journal of Extension Education, 13 (1): 126-128.
Szumigalski A and Van Aker R, 2005. Weed suppression and crop production in annual intercrops. Weed Science, 53: 813-825.
Tomar TS, Mackenzie AF, Mehuys GR and Alli I, 1988. Corn growth with foliar nitrogen, soil applied nitrogen and legume intercrops. Agronomy Journal, 80:800-807.                       
JOURNAL OF AGRICULTURAL SCIENCE AND SUSTAINABLE PRODUCTION
Volume 24, Issue 3 - Serial Number 3
November 2014
Pages 61-73

Files

Share

How to cite

Statistics