Yield response to plant density of maize and sunflower intercropped with soybean

Maize-soybean and sunflower-soybean intercrops have the potential for increasing yield per unit land area and time in fully mechanized farming systems. The objectives of this work were to measure the land equivalent ratio index of maize and sunflower intercropped to soybean, to assess the effects of plant density of its components, and to gain insight into ecophysiological processes affecting their yield determination. Maize-soybean and sunflower-soybean intercrops and their respective sole crops were grown at Balcarce, Argentina during two growing seasons. Treatments included a wide range of plant densities for sole and intercropped sunflower (2-9 plants m⁻²) and maize (4-12 plants m⁻²). Plants were harvested to determine shoot dry matter and grain yield per plot and at the individual plant level. Land equivalent ratio index (LER) increased 11% (mean of the two years) when plant density of sunflower was reduced from 6 to 3 plants m⁻²; and LER increased 5% (year 1) or it was maintained (year 2) when maize plant density was reduced from 8 to 4 plants m⁻². Yield response to plant density of sunflower and maize influenced LER. The response to plant density of intercropped sunflower and maize grain yield followed the same pattern than that in a sole crop, and grain yield of intercropped sunflower or maize were lower than those for the sole crops at each plant density except at the lowest sunflower plant density. Yield reductions from sole crop to intercrop at each plant density averaged 20% and were associated (i) with lower intra-row spacing in the intercrop and (ii) with a lower shoot production rather than to a change in the dry matter partitioning to reproductive structures; in addition, detrimental effects of soybean over maize or sunflower yield were undetectable.     

Density and relative frequency effects on competitive interactions and resource use in pea–barley intercrops

Intercropping advantages may be influenced by both plant density and relative frequency of the intercrop components. In a field study barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) and pea (Pisum sativum L.) were sole cropped and intercropped at three densities and with two relative frequencies when intercropped.Earlier seedling emergence gave barley an initial growth advantage, assessed using the relative efficiency index (REIc), whereas pea was in general more growth efficient once the initial growth phase had been passed. This reversal in relative growth efficiency along with the observation that early barley dominance did not appear to suppress pea growth indicates that differences in phenology played a role in shaping the prevailing dynamics. Whereas increases in plant density had a positive effect on the growth of pea, the growth of intercropped barley was severely limited by increases in density at the end of the growing period and more so in the pea dominated intercrop. At the final harvest land equivalent ratios (LER) of 0.9–1.2 express resource complementarity in almost all studied intercrops, complementarity that was not directly affected by changes in plant density or relative frequency.Intercropped pea did not increase its reliance on atmospheric nitrogen fixation compared to the pea sole crop. With respect to soil nitrogen uptake there were no effect of plant density but a strong effect of the relative frequency of pea in the intercrop, the greater the proportion the lower the uptake.Changes in the competitive strength of the pea and barley crop over the growing season had a marked effect on the proportion of pea in the final grain yields of the intercrops. At low and recommended density the proportions of pea and barley in the final grain yield was not markedly different from the expected proportions sown; however, at high density the suppression of barley strongly increased the proportion of pea in the final grain yield.Weed infestation levels decreased as density was raised and the suppressing effect of density was clearly stronger the greater the frequency of pea in the crop. Earlier germination and tillering ability of barley are seen as likely explanations of lower weed load in the barley dominated crop treatments.This study points at the potential of employing density and relative crop frequency as “regulators” when specific intercrop objectives such as increased competitiveness towards weeds or specific grain yield composition are wanted.     

Evaluating pea and barley cultivars for complementarity in intercropping at different levels of soil N availability

Two field experiments were carried out on a temperate sandy loam using six pea (Pisum sativum L.) and five spring barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) cultivars to determine cultivar complementarity in the intercrop for grain yield, dry matter production and nitrogen (N) acquisition. Crops were grown with or without the supply of 40 or 50 kg N ha⁻¹ in the two experiments. Cultivars were grown as sole crops (SC) and as mixed intercrops (IC) using a replacement design (50:50). The land equivalent ratio (LER), which is defined as the relative land area under SC that is required to produce the yields achieved in intercropping, were used to compare cultivar performance in intercropping relative to sole cropping.Barley was the stronger competitor in the intercrops and as a result barley grain yield and nitrogen uptake in IC were similar to SC. The per plant pea grain production and aboveground N accumulation in IC were reduced to less than half compared to SC pea plants due to competitive interactions.Application of N caused a dynamic change in the intercrop composition. Competition from barley increased with N application and the pea contribution to the combined intercrop grain yield decreased. The LER values showed that in the intercrop plant growth resources were used on average 20% more efficient without N application and 5–10% more efficient with N application.The choice of pea cultivar in the intercrop influenced the intercrop performance to a larger degree than the choice of barley cultivar. Furthermore, pea cultivar×cropping systems interactions was observed, indicating that cultivars performed differently in sole and intercrops. An indeterminate pea cultivar competed strongly with barley causing a greater proportion of peas in the intercrop yield, but caused a reduced N uptake and yield of barley. Determinate peas with normal leaves caused the highest degree of complementary use of N sources by allowing barley to exploit the soil N sources efficiently, while they contribute with fixed N₂. However, difference in performance among cultivars was observed. Using the indeterminate pea cultivar combined IC grain yield was in general lower than the greatest sole crop yield and vice versa for the determinate pea cultivars. Up to 22% (LER=1.22) greater combined IC grain yield was observed in several mixtures using determinate pea cultivars.From the present study, it is was concluded that there is a need for breeding suitable pea cultivars for intercropping purposes, since cultivars bred for sole cropping may not be the types, which are the most suitable for intercropping. For optimized N-use in pea–barley intercrops it is concluded that important traits for the intercropped pea are: (1) determinate growth, (2) a medium competitive root system for soil inorganic N and other nutrients during early growth, (3) high light absorption capacity by peas growing underneath the canopy of the higher barley component and (4) early establishment of symbiotic N₂ fixation to support a high growth rate during early growth stages.Fertilized pea–barley intercrops gave a 15% higher net income than fertilized barley sole cropping and is regarded as a better safeguard for the farmer’s earnings compared to pea sole cropping known for variable yields and poor competitive ability towards weeds.     

The competitive ability of pea-barley intercrops against weeds and the interactions with crop productivity and soil N availability

Grain legumes, such as peas (Pisum sativum L.), are known to be weak competitors against weeds when grown as the sole crop. In this study, the weed-suppression effect of pea-barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) intercropping compared to the respective sole crops was examined in organic field experiments across Western Europe (i.e., Denmark, the United Kingdom, France, Germany and Italy). Spring pea (P) and barley (B) were sown either as the sole crop, at the recommended plant density (P100 and B100, respectively), or in replacement (P50B50) or additive (P100B50) intercropping designs for three seasons (2003-2005). The weed biomass was three times higher under the pea sole crops than under both the intercrops and barley sole crops at maturity. The inclusion of joint experiments in several countries and various growing conditions showed that intercrops maintain a highly asymmetric competition over weeds, regardless of the particular weed infestation (species and productivity), the crop biomass or the soil nitrogen availability. The intercropping weed suppression was highly resilient, whereas the weed suppression in pea sole crops was lower and more variable. The pea-barley intercrops exhibited high levels of weed suppression, even with a low percentage of barley in the total biomass. Despite a reduced leaf area in the case of a low soil N availability, the barley sole crops and intercrops displayed high weed suppression, probably because of their strong competitive capability to absorb soil N. Higher soil N availabilities entailed increased leaf areas and competitive ability for light, which contributed to the overall competitive ability against weeds for all of the treatments. The contribution of the weeds in the total dry matter and soil N acquisition was higher in the pea sole crop than in the other treatments, in spite of the higher leaf areas in the pea crops.     

Water use and yield of wheat/maize intercropping under alternate irrigation in the oasis field of northwest China

A field experiment was carried out to investigate the effects of alternate irrigation (AI) on the yield, water use and water use efficiency (WUE) of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.)/maize (Zea mays L.) intercropping system in an oasis region of northwest China in 2006-2008. Three planting patterns, i.e., sole wheat, sole maize and wheat/maize intercropping. Three irrigation levels were applied for each treatment during 3 years. Results showed that land use efficiency of wheat and maize was significantly enhanced by intercropping system; land equivalent ratio (LER) of wheat/maize intercropping system in different treatments was all greater than 1.0. Moreover, significant difference in grain yield was observed between intercropping treatment and sole cropping treatment, in which the yield of intercropped wheat was 55.37-74.88% of sole wheat, and intercropped maize was 66.63-78.87% of sole maize. Wheat/maize intercropping treatments increased water use by 1.8-16.4% than half of the total water use of sole-cropping wheat and maize. Compared to sole cropping wheat treatments, wheat/maize intercropping with alternate irrigation significantly improved water use efficiency (WUE) by 30.5-57.7%, 55.5-71.4% and 12.0-19.8%, and increased by 32.7-37.8%, 9.5-15.8% and 4.0-20.8% than sole cropping maize treatments in 2006-2008, respectively. Our results suggest that AI should be a useful water-saving irrigation method on wheat/maize intercropping in arid oasis field where intercropping planting is decreased because of limited water resource.     

Effects of crop density and tillage system on grain yield and N uptake from soil and atmosphere of sole and intercropped pea and oat

Pea (Pisum sativum L.) and oat (Avena sativa L.) were grown as sole and mixed crops in various densities under two different tillage systems on a loess soil near Göttingen/Germany in a 2-year field experiment (2002/2003). In the conventional tillage system a mouldboard plough (CT) was used and in the minimum tillage system a rotary harrow (MT) was employed. The effect of crop density and tillage system on the grain dry matter and grain N yields, N₂ fixation and soil N uptake were determined to address the following questions: (i) which mixture compositions exhibit the highest grain yields compared to the sole crops, (ii) which mixture compositions also fix a high level of N₂ and leave low levels of residual inorganic soil N after harvest, and (iii) whether the intercrop advantage is influenced by the tillage system. For (i) the result in 2002 showed that the highest grain yields of both sole cropped pea and oat and intercropped pea and oat were achieved at the highest densities. In 2003, when the inorganic soil N content was higher and weather conditions were warmer and drier, grain yields were significantly higher than in 2002, but sole as well as intercropped pea and oat gave their highest grain yields at lower densities. For both years and tillage systems, the highest intercrop advantages were achieved in mixtures with densities above the optimal sole crop densities. The result for (ii) was that a distinctly higher proportion of nitrogen was derived from the atmosphere (Ndfa) by intercropped pea than by sole cropped pea. However, the uptake of soil N by intercropped pea and oat was not reduced in comparison with that of sole cropped oat as the decrease in the uptake of N from the soil by oat at lower oat densities in the mixture was compensated for by the soil N uptake of pea. Additionally, the N_min-N content of the soil following the mixtures and sole cropped oat did not differ, especially in the deeper soil layers because oat in mixture was forced to take up more soil N from deeper layers. Therefore, the risk of soil N losses through leaching after mixtures was lower compared to sole cropped pea. The tillage system (iii) had no significant influence on grain yield and soil N uptake, but N₂ fixation and the competitive ability of intercropped pea were higher under CT than with MT. An additional result was that intercropping led to a significantly increased grain N content of both pea and oat compared to the sole crops. The increase in grain N content from sole to intercrop was from 3.30 to 3.42% for pea and from 1.73 to 1.96% for oat as a mean for both years and tillage systems. The present study confirms that growing pea and oat as intercrops highlights potential economic and environmental benefits which still need to be understood in more detail in order to exploit intercropping to a greater extent.     

Pea–barley intercropping for efficient symbiotic N2-fixation,soil N acquisition and use of other nutrients in European organic cropping systems

Complementarity in acquisition of nitrogen (N) from soil and N₂-fixation within pea and barley intercrops was studied in organic field experiments across Western Europe (Denmark, United Kingdom, France, Germany and Italy). Spring pea and barley were sown either as sole crops, at the recommended plant density (P100 and B100, respectively) or in replacement (P50B50) or additive (P100B50) intercropping designs, in each of three cropping seasons (2003–2005). Irrespective of site and intercrop design, Land Equivalent Ratios (LER) between 1.4 at flowering and 1.3 at maturity showed that total N recovery was greater in the pea–barley intercrops than in the sole crops suggesting a high degree of complementarity over a wide range of growing conditions. Complementarity was partly attributed to greater soil mineral N acquisition by barley, forcing pea to rely more on N₂-fixation. At all sites the proportion of total aboveground pea N that was derived from N₂-fixation was greater when intercropped with barley than when grown as a sole crop. No consistent differences were found between the two intercropping designs. Simultaneously, the accumulation of phosphorous (P), potassium (K) and sulphur (S) in Danish and German experiments was 20% higher in the intercrop (P50B50) than in the respective sole crops, possibly influencing general crop yields and thereby competitive ability for other resources. Comparing all sites and seasons, the benefits of organic pea–barley intercropping for N acquisition were highly resilient. It is concluded that pea–barley intercropping is a relevant cropping strategy to adopt when trying to optimize N₂-fixation inputs to the cropping system.     

Crotalaria (C. ochroleuca G. Don.) as a green manure in maize–bean cropping systems in Uganda

Crotalaria (C. ochroleuca G. Don.) used as a green manure may improve the productivity of maize–bean cropping systems in eastern Africa. To test this hypothesis, three field studies were conducted over three consecutive cropping seasons at Kawanda Agricultural Research Institute in Uganda. In the first season, crotalaria biomass was produced in pure stands or in intercrop systems with either common beans (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) or maize (Zea mays L.) as companion crops. Crotalaria was sown at planting and three weeks after planting the food crops. The biomass of early planted crotalaria was mulched, that of late planted crotalaria was incorporated into the soil at planting of the following crop. The first subsequent crop was maize, and the second was either beans (in two seasons) or maize (in one season). In the crotalaria production season, mean yield losses of maize through intercropping with early or late sown crotalaria were 40 and 22%, respectively; the corresponding values for beans were 45 and 14%. In the first cropping season after crotalaria production, the increase in maize grain yield on account of crotalaria averaged 39%; the best response (68% increase) to crotalaria was obtained with early sown sole crotalaria applied as mulch. Major differences in soil mineral nitrogen content among the treatments occurred at the six-leaf stage of maize only. In the second cropping season following crotalaria production, the mean increases in seed yields of beans or maize, due to crotalaria, were 23 and 19%, respectively, indicating a considerable residual effect of crotalaria green manure. The decrease in bulk density, and the increase in water infiltration capacity of the soil suggest that the yield stimulation because of crotalaria not only resulted from the increased nitrogen supply, but also from more favorable soil physical properties. Considering the competitive effect of crotalaria with the food crops and the positive effect on yields of subsequent crops, two options are especially promising: incorporation of crotalaria produced by relay intercropping with beans and mulching of early sown crotalaria produced in pure stands.     

Weed emergence as affected by maize (Zea mays L.)-cover crop rotations in contrasting arable soils of Zimbabwe under conservation agriculture

Weed control in smallholder farming systems of sub-Saharan Africa is labour intensive or costly. Many researchers have therefore advocated for the use of cover crops in weed management as an affordable alternative for smallholders. Cover crops may be grown in rotations to suppress weeds and reduce the reliance on herbicides. The use of cover crops creates microenvironments that are either conducive or inhibitive to the emergence of certain weed species. A study, initiated in 2008 in contrasting soils at four different locations of Zimbabwe, investigated the effect of maize (Zea mays L.)-cover crop rotations on the emergence of weeds that showed dominance in those soils. Weed assessments were however, carried out from 2011 to 2014. The weed species Galinsoga parviflora Cav., Commelina benghalensis L., and Richardia scabra L. showed dominance in all four locations with weed densities as high as 500 plants m⁻² being recorded for R. scabra L. in a sandy soil. Maize-cover crop rotations resulted in higher densities of Bidens pilosa compared with maize monocropping (control treatment) due to its high nitrogen (N) requirement to produce more seeds. On the other hand, the integration of cover crops such as pigeon pea [Cajanus cajan (L.) Millsp.] that had poor shading qualities, due to large gaps or spaces and slower initial growth, had limited effects on competitive weeds such as Cyperus esculentus L. which tend to dominate exhausted soils. The density of C. esculentus was 38% greater in maize–pigeon pea rotations compared with the control treatment. Variability between seasons and sites affected emergence of all weeds in the present study, which masked long-term trends. The results suggest that there is need to identify the germination and emergence requirements of specific weeds and select cover crops best suitable for their control. The study provides useful information for farmers and advisors on the best cover crops for control of certain problematic weeds in different soil types of Zimbabwe.     

Evaluation of yield–density relationships and optimization of intercrop compositions of field-grown pea–oat intercrops using the replacement series and the response surface design

In a 2-year field experiment (2002/2003) on a loess soil near Göttingen/Germany, pea (Pisum sativum L.) and oat (Avena sativa L.) were grown alone and intercropped at a range of densities. Shoot biomass, grain yields and amount of N in grain were evaluated and optimized using two different replacement series and a hyperbolic yield–density equation describing a response surface to address the following questions: (i) what is the optimal composition of the pea–oat intercrop with regard to maximum yields, (ii) which intercropping design is most suitable to describe competition effects in pea–oat intercrops and the optimal intercrop compositions and (iii) which intercropping design is best suited for the evaluation of field data. For (i), the optimal intercrop compositions varied depending on the growth conditions for the crops. Furthermore, optimal intercrop compositions were found above the recommended sole crop densities. The density of oat had to be reduced more than that of pea, especially when optimal grain-N yields were desired and soil-N content was high. For maximum grain-N yields, pea could be sown at high densities in combination with 5–50% of the recommended density of oat. Thus, density can be used as a yield regulator for specific purposes such as a high N yield. The effects of competition at final harvest were described equally by both designs (ii). Oat was the clearly stronger and pea the inferior competitor. In contrast to the replacement series design, the hyperbolic yield–density equation was capable of adding valuable information about the extent of intra and interspecific competition. As intraspecific competition was consistently more important than interspecific competition, resource complementarity could be hold responsible for intercrop advantages. The highest intercrop advantage was found when total intraspecific competition was low, as shown by the relative yield total (RYT) and niche differentiation index (NDI) values >1. However, due to the RYT dependence on sole crops and total densities, the replacement series design led to misleading interpretations of the yield advantages. Both experimental designs were able to describe the field-data reliably (iii), but the response surface design had the advantage of being unaffected by insufficient field emergences, as it is not based on total densities. Numbers of plants m⁻² instead of seeds m⁻² can be used for the evaluation. Data from sole crops are not needed for the response surface design and thus the feared high experimental effort of this design can be reduced. However, when using the replacement series design, experimental effort should be greater than normal, as different sole crop densities and more intercrop compositions within a replacement series can lead to a more precise interpretation of the competition effects.     

Yield losses of soybean and maize by competition with interseeded cover crops and weeds in organic-based cropping systems

Weed management is a major issue in organic farming systems. Although interseeding cover crops is one alternative to herbicides, cover crops often suppress not only weeds but also main crops. Therefore, using cover crops for weed control without adverse effects on main crop growth is important. To verify the effect of cover crops on competition between main crops, cover crops and weeds in a snowy-cold region, main crops soybean (Glycine max Merr.) in 2005 and maize (Zea mays L.) in 2006 were grown with cover crops winter rye (Secale cereale L.) and hairy vetch (Vicia villosa Roth), respectively. The cover crops were sown on three sowing dates: before main crop planting (Pre-MC), on the same date of main crop planting (Syn-MC) and after main crop planting (Post-MC). A plot without cover crops (Sole-MC) was used as a control. The dry weight (DW), vegetation cover ratio (VCR), vertical community structure and chlorophyll content were measured to estimate the competition between main crops, cover crops and weeds. Weed DW was suppressed significantly by sowing cover crops in both soybean and maize. This weed suppression was associated with the increase of VCR of main crops plus cover crops at the early growth stage of main crops. Soil seed banks of dominant weed also became lower by sowing cover crops, implying the importance of proper weed management for suppressing weeds successively. In addition, the sowing dates of cover crops had large effects on main crops DW especially in maize, i.e., it was significantly lower in Pre-MC and Syn-MC than in Post-MC. Although the cover crop height was markedly shorter than the main crop height, the chlorophyll content of the main crops was significantly lower when cover crops were sown earlier. These results suggest that the growth inhibition of main crops by cover crops was partly caused by competition for nutrients between main crops and cover crops, and this growth inhibition was alleviated when cover crops were sown after the establishment of main crops. Consequently, soybean yield was the highest in Post-MC and decreased by 29%, 18% and 7% in Sole-MC, Pre-MC and Syn-MC, respectively, and maize yield was also the highest in Post-MC and decreased by 68%, 100% and 24% in Sole-MC, Pre-MC and Syn-MC, respectively. It was concluded that weeds could be controlled effectively by sowing cover crops after planting main crops in organic farming systems in a snowy-cold region.     

Width of clover strips and wheat rows influence grain yield in winter wheat/white clover intercropping

Cereal–legume intercropping offers potential benefits in low-input cropping systems, where nutrient inputs, in particular nitrogen (N), are limited. In the present study, winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) and white clover (Trifolium repens L.) were intercropped by sowing the wheat into rototilled strips in an established stand of white clover.A field experiment was performed in two fields starting in two different years to explore the effects of width of the wheat rows and clover strips on the competition between the species and on wheat yields. The factors were intercropping (clover sole crop, wheat sole crop and wheat/clover intercropping), rototilled band width, sowing width and wheat density in a factorial experimental design that enabled some of the interactions between the factors to be estimated. The measurements included grain yield, ear density, grain weight, grain N concentration, dry matter and N in above-ground biomass of wheat, clover and weeds and profiles of photosynthetic active radiation (PAR) within the crop canopy.Intercropping of winter wheat and clover resulted in wheat grain yield decreases of 10–25% compared with a wheat sole crop. The yield reductions were likely caused by interspecific competition for light and N during vegetative growth, and for soil water during grain filling. N uptake in the wheat intercrop increased during late season growth, resulting in only small differences in total N uptake between wheat intercrops and sole crops, but increased grain N concentrations in the intercrop. Interspecific competition during vegetative wheat growth was reduced by increasing width of the rototilled strips from 7 to 14 cm, resulting in higher grain yields and increased grain N uptake. Increasing the sowing width of the wheat crop from 3 to 6 cm increased interspecific interactions and reduced wheat intraspecific competition during the entire growing season, leading to improved grain yields and higher grain N uptake.     

Effect of winter cover crop species and planting methods on maize yield and N availability under irrigated Mediterranean conditions

Under semiarid Mediterranean conditions irrigated maize has been associated to diffuse nitrate pollution of surface and groundwater. Cover crops grown during winter combined with reduced N fertilization to maize could reduce N leaching risks while maintaining maize productivity. A field experiment was conducted testing two different cover crop planting methods (direct seeding versus seeding after conventional tillage operations) and four different cover crops species (barley, oilseed rape, winter rape, and common vetch), and a control (bare soil). The experiment started in November 2006 after a maize crop fertilized with 300 kg N ha⁻¹ and included two complete cover crop-maize rotations. Maize was fertilized with 300 kg N ha⁻¹ at the control treatment, and this amount was reduced to 250 kg N ha⁻¹ in maize after a cover crop. Direct seeding of the cover crops allowed earlier planting dates than seeding after conventional tillage, producing greater cover crop biomass and N uptake of all species in the first year. In the following year, direct seeding did not increase cover crop biomass due to a poorer plant establishment. Barley produced more biomass than the other species but its N concentration was much lower than in the other cover crops, resulting in higher C:N ratio (>26). Cover crops reduced the N leaching risks as soil N content in spring and at maize harvest was reduced compared to the control treatment. Maize yield was reduced by 4 Mg ha⁻¹ after barley in 2007 and by 1 Mg ha⁻¹ after barley and oilseed rape in 2008. The maize yield reduction was due to an N deficiency caused by insufficient N mineralization from the cover crops due to a high C:N ratio (barley) or low biomass N content (oilseed rape) and/or lack of synchronization with maize N uptake. Indirect chlorophyll measurements in maize leaves were useful to detect N deficiency in maize after cover crops. The use of vetch, winter rape and oilseed rape cover crops combined with a reduced N fertilization to maize was efficient for reducing N leaching risks while maintaining maize productivity. However, the reduction of maize yield after barley makes difficult its use as cover crop.     

Cover Crops as Affecting Soil Chemical and Physical Properties and Development of Upland Rice and Soybean Cultivated in Rotation

Cover crops can provide changes in soil chemical and physical properties, which could allow a sustainable development of soybean and upland rice rotation in Brazilian Cerrado. The objective of this study was to determine the effects of cover crops(cultivated in the offseason) in the soybean-upland rice rotation(cultivated in the summer season) on the soil chemical and physical properties, yield components and grain yield of the cash crops. The experimental design was a randomized block design in factorial scheme 4 × 2 with six replications. Treatments were composed by four cover crops: fallow, millet(Pennisetum glaucum) + Crotalaria ochroleuca, millet + pigeon pea(Cajanus cajans), and millet + pigeon pea + Urochola ruziziensis in the offseason with one or two cycles of cover crops, with rice(Oryza sativa)or soybean(Glycine max) in the summer season. Cover crops alone provided no changes in soil chemical properties. However, the rotation cover crops/cash crops/cover crops/cash crops reduced p H, Al and H + Al and increased Ca, Mg, K and Fe contents in the soil. The cover crops millet + pigeon pea and millet + pigeon pea + U. ruziziensis improved soil physical properties in relation to fallow,especially in the 0–0.10 m soil layer. In spite of the improvement of the soil physical properties after two years of rotation with cover crops and cash crops, the soil physical quality was still below the recommended level, showing values of macroporosity, S index and soil aeration capacity lower than 0.10 m3/m3, 0.035 and 0.34, respectively. Upland rice production was higher under mixtures of cover crops than under fallow, mainly because of soil physical changes done by these mixtures of cover crops.Soybean grain yield was similar under all cover crops tested, but was higher after the rotation cover crops/upland rice/cover crops than after only one cycle of cover crops.     

Land Equivalent Ratio of Groundnut-Fingermillet Intercrops as Affected by Plant Combination Ratio,and Nitrogen and Water Availability

Abstract

Field experiments were conducted to characterize intercropping advantages in groundnut-fingermillet intercrop in relation to crop combination ratios, soil moisture and nitrogen (N) availability. Three intercrops in 1 : 2, 1 : 1 and 2 : 1 alternating rows of groundnut and fingermillet were examined for their growth and yield in comparison with their respective sole crops in 1996. The effect of well watered (W) and water stressed (D) conditions on the intercropping advantage was also examined for 1 : 1 intercrops in 1995 and 1996. Fertilizer N was applied at the rate of 20 kg ha^?1 in 1995 and 50 kg ha^?1 in 1996. The total above-ground biomass (DM) and its land equivalent ratio (LER) were highest in the 1 : 1 combination ratio. The DM production of intercropped fingermillet was higher in 1996 with higher N than in 1995 with low N application, while those of groundnut were similar in both years. The intercropped groundnut exhibited significantly higher DM production after the fingermillet harvest. The LERs in grain yield were higher in 1996 (1.43 under W and 1.45 under D), than in 1995 (0.87 under W and 1.22 under D). Also, LERs were consistently higher under D than W conditions. Water stress severely reduced the leaf area index (LAI) of fingermillet at a low N, especially in the later stages, whereas higher N alleviated the water stress effect. A close linear relationship was observed between LAI and leaf area (LA) per unit leaf N both for groundnut and fingermillet, with intercrops producing larger LA per unit leaf N than sole crops. Intercropping maintained higher ability in leaf net photosynthesis and transpiration of groundnut up to later stages, and significantly reduced water evaporation from the soil surface under the canopy than sole cropping of fingermillet. These results suggest that three processes associated with the intercropping yield advantages in the groundnut-fingermillet intercrop; 1) higher leaf photosynthesis and vigorous growth of groundnut after the fingermillet harvest, 2) higher LA production per unit N and 3) efficient water use. In conclusion, interspecific shading was considered to be the key mechanism associated with these processes, leading to the intercropping advantages. The degree of the interspecific shade and its effect on growth and yield depended on the available soil N and water.     

Can winter cover crops influence weed density and diversity in a reduced tillage vegetable system?

Weeds are a major constraint for organic crop production. Previous research has found that cover crops in reduced tillage systems can provide weed interference, subsequently reducing inputs and improving crop yield. However, questions remain about effects of cover crop species identity and cover crop biomass on weed suppression and crop yield. This four-year study investigated how winter cover crops grown alone or in mixture influenced weed presence and crop yield in a reduced tillage organic vegetable system. Treatments were barley (Hordeum vulgare L.), crimson clover (Trifolium incarnatum L.), mixed barley + crimson clover, and a no-cover crop control. Plots were flail-mowed and strip-tilled prior to planting main crops (2011 and 2012: broccoli Brassica oleracea L.; 2013 and 2014: crookneck squash Cucurbita pepo L.). We measured density, diversity, and community composition of weeds and viable weed seeds, changes in weed percent cover within growing seasons, and crop yield. We found that the presence of barley, crimson clover, or barley + crimson clover reduced weed density by 50% relative to the control. Cover crop biomass negatively influenced weed density and weed seed diversity, and positively influenced squash yield. Weed percent cover within growing seasons did not respond differentially to cover crop treatment. Cover crop treatment and cover crop biomass had no influence on weed or weed seed community composition. These results suggest that reduced tillage winter cover crops in mixture or monoculture can similarly suppress weeds and improve yield, primarily due to biomass effects.     

Management of Meloidogyne incognita in yam-based cropping systems with cover crops

The effect of intercropping cover crops was with yam was assessed for nematode management both in pot and field conditions in Nigeria. The cover crops were sown with yams in pots containing sterile soil and inoculated with 5000 eggs of Meloidogyne incognita. In the field, each cover crop was separately intercropped with yams inoculated with 10,000 nematodes. From both pot and field experiments, no nematode damage was observed on yam tubers that were intercropped with Aeschynomene histrix, Crotolaria juncea, and Tagetes erecta. Damage in intercropped tubers was reduced by 72.7% with Mucuna pruriens, Centrosema pubescens, and Pueraria phaseoloides and by 58.3% with Stylosanthes guianensis compared to yams planted without cover crops; they also had lower (p ≤ 0.05) nematode populations. Cajanus cajan, Lablab purpureus and Vigna unguiculata however, supported high nematode populations and led to nematode damage in intercropped yams. Tubers from M. incognita-inoculated plants were more damaged and lost 42% more weight (p ≤ 0.05) following three months of storage than tubers from uninoculated plants. Intercropping yams with selected cover crops can be useful in managing M. incognita without reducing yam yields.     

Use of wheat cultivar blends to improve grain yield and quality and reduce disease and lodging

Cultivar blends can provide a measure of disease control due to host diversity. The diversity of cultivar blends also may be useful for improving agronomic performance and end-product quality. This paper reports on the performances of blends (0:1, 1:2, 1:1, 2:1, and 1:0) of two fall-sown hard red spring wheat cultivars, Yolo (high grain yield, low susceptibility to septoria tritici blotch and leaf rust, good lodging resistance, poor grain quality) and Serra (high grain yield, high susceptibility to septoria tritici blotch and leaf rust, high susceptibility to lodging, excellent grain quality). The blends were grown in several environments in California for 3 years. The taller Serra was more competitive than Yolo in the various blends. Spike populations of Serra often were larger in blends than expected from the proportion of seed sown. Spikes of Yolo in blends had fewer spikelets than spikes of Yolo in sole crop Yolo, while spikes of Serra in blends had more spikelets than spikes of Serra in sole crop Serra. Blends had advantages over sole crops in several respects. When disease pressure was moderate or high, blends had less leaf rust and septoria tritici blotch than sole crop Serra, but more disease than sole crop Yolo. When lodging occurred, blends had less lodging than sole crop Serra. Overall, there were no significant differences in yield among the blends and sole crops of Serra or Yolo. The blends produced grain protein and baking quality equivalent to sole crop Serra and better than sole crop Yolo. The 2:1 Yolo:Serra blend was the optimum blend and is an attractive alternative to sole crop Yolo or sole crop Serra for wheat growers in the Sacramento Valley of California.     

玉米行距对大豆/玉米间作作物生长及种间竞争力的影响

为探明大豆玉米间作系统中玉米种植行距对间作作物生长及种间资源竞争的影响。在固定带宽的大豆/玉米间作系统中,设置10,20,45,60和70 cm 5个间作玉米种植行距,分析间作系统的间作优势、作物生长情况以及大豆相对于玉米的资源竞争力变化。结果表明:随间作玉米行距增加,间作优势增加,70 cm行距间作优势最大,达4 271.4 kg·hm^-2。Logistic生长拟合曲线表明:随玉米行距增加,大豆生物累积量减小,达到最大日生长速率峰值的天数缩短,玉米生物累积量最大值出现在D45处理下,达43 471.1 kg·hm^-2,D45处理达到最大日生长速率峰值的天数最长,达130 d,且生长后期日生长速率持续高于其它处理;共生期内,伴随作物生长,大豆相对于玉米的资源竞争力A_sm逐渐降低,共生后期,表现为随间作玉米种植行距增加,大豆相对于玉米的竞争力A_sm逐渐减小。综合分析表明:河西灌区大豆/玉米间作系统中,玉米是强竞争力作物,玉米种植行距为45 cm,有利于大豆和玉米的生长及产量形成,大豆和玉米种间竞争力较弱,可作为河西灌区大豆/玉米间作系统中间作玉米的最佳行距配置。