Investigating soybean yield and yield components, land equality ratio and competitive index in delayed intercropping with wheat

Document Type : Research Paper

Authors

1 Agrotechnology (Crop Ecology), Dept. of Production Engineering and Plant Genetics, Faculty of Agricultural Sciences and Technology, University of Mohaghegh Ardabili, Ardabil, Iran.

2 Professor, Department of Agronomy and Plant Breeding, University of Mohaghegh Ardabili, Ardabil, Iran

3 Professor of Plant Ecophysiology Department, Field of Crop Ecology, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Tabriz, Tabriz, Iran.

4 Department of Agronomy and plant breeding, Faculty of Agriculture and Natural Resources, University of Mohaghegh Ardabili

10.22034/saps.2025.63261.3386

Abstract

Background & Objectives: Due to the increase in world population and the need for food using traditional agricultural methods does not meet the needs of society. Relay intercropping is one of the ways to achieve sustainability in agriculture. However, studying its economic and competitive indicators is critical to optimizing production. Therefore, the aim of this study was Investigation of soybean yield and yield components, land equivalence ratio and competitive index in relay intercropping with wheat.
 
Materials and Methods: The experiment was conducted as a factorial design within a completely randomized block design with three replications in the Bile-Savar Moghan County, during the 2019-2020 and 2021-2022 in two agricultural years. The treatments included soybean planting dates (including May 15 and June 10) as the main factor and soybean cultivars (early-ripening (Williams), medium-ripening (L17) and late-ripening (DPX) genotypes) and soybean planting density among wheat (15 and 25 plants per square meter)) as the sub-factor.
 
Results: The results showed that the highest number of seeds per pod, thousand-seed weight, and single plant weight were observed in 2019-2020 year at a density of 15 plants per square meter. The highest soybean yield was also obtained on the delayed planting date of June 10 with a density of 25 plants per square meter with an average of 932.50 kg per hectare. Based on the results, the highest harvest index (34.28%) and biological yield (3220 kg per hectare) were observed on the planting date of May 15 with 25 plants per square meter in the medium-ripening (L17) and early-ripening (Williams) cultivars, respectively. Also, the highest land equivalence ratio in the first and second agricultural years was obtained on the planting date of May 15 with 25 plants per square meter in the late-ripening (DPX) (1.204) and early-ripening (Williams) (1.100) cultivars, respectively. The highest productivity index (10920.5) of the first agricultural year was obtained in the delayed planting date of June 10 with a density of 15 plants per square meter in the medium-ripening variety (L17). The competition index and the total relative value of the first agricultural year were obtained in the planting date of May 15 with a density of 15 plants per square meter in the medium-ripening (L17) (0.401) and late-ripening (DPX) (0.972) varieties, respectively, and the highest dominance index (0.331 and 0.478) was obtained in both agricultural years with a planting date of June 10 with a density of 15 plants per square meter in the medium-ripening (L17) variety.
 
Conclusions: The results of the present study showed that the late-ripening (DPX) had the highest yield (716 kg/ha) in relay intercropping compared to other cultivars, and the use of relay intercropping results in better utilization of environmental resources and increased crop production compared to monoculture of the same species.
 

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References

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Journal of Agricultural Science and Sustainable Production
Volume 35, Issue 4
2026
Pages 291-310

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