Growth,yield and nitrogen performance of faba bean intercrops with oat and triticale at varying seeding ratios

Intercropping of grain legumes with cereals may offer several advantages over sole crops for forage production and is commonly used, particularly in low‐input agriculture. Faba bean (Vicia faba L.), oat (Avena sativa L.) and triticale (×Triticosecale Wittmack) sole crops as well as the intercrops of faba bean with each of the above cereals, in three seeding ratios (75:25, 50:50 and 25:75), were compared for dry‐matter (DM) yield, nitrogen (N) concentration, chlorophyll content, growth rate and plant height in a 2‐year field experiment. Triticale sole crop and faba bean intercrops with triticale provided higher DM yield than faba bean sole crop and the intercrops of faba bean with oat. Growth rates of faba bean, oat and triticale in mixtures were lower than those in sole crops. Faba bean plants were taller in the intercrops than in the sole crop at 3 weeks after tillering (WAT), whereas at 6 WAT, the trend was different as faba bean plants in the sole crop were taller than in the intercrops. N concentration was higher for the cereals when faba bean was included in the mixture. Crude protein (CP) concentration was the highest in faba bean sole crop followed by the faba bean intercrops with oat. However, triticale sole crop and faba bean mixtures with triticale provided higher CP yield than all other crops because of their highest DM yield. Thus, mixtures of faba beans with triticale could be a promising alternative for increased forage production because of their capacity for high DM and protein yields.