Document Type : Research Paper
Authors
1
Ph.D. Student of Crop Ecology, Department of Agronomy and Plant Breeding, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Ilam, Ilam, Iran
2
Assistant Professor, Department of Agronomy and Plant Breeding, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Ilam, Ilam, Iran
3
Researcher, Department of Chemical, Pharmaceutical and Agricultural Sciences, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy
10.22059/ijfcs.2024.373410.655067
Abstract
To investigate the quantitative and qualitative traits of bitter vetch, grass pea, and wheat intercropped under different tillage systems, a split-plot field experiment was conducted based on a randomized complete block design with three replications. The field trials were performed at the research farm of Ilam University in the 2019 and 2020 growing seasons. The tillage systems (no-tillage, minimum tillage, and conventional tillage) were assigned to main plots and the planting pattern at six levels (monoculture of wheat with weeds, monoculture of wheat without weeds, intercropping of 100% wheat+ 50% bitter vetch, 100% wheat+ 50% grass pea and monoculture of bitter vetch and grass pea) were assigned to sub-plots. The results showed that the highest wheat grain yield was obtained in wheat monoculture without weeds under minimum tillage (8.78 t ha-1) and the highest forage yield of bitter vetch (7.80 t ha-1) was observed in monoculture of bitter vetch under minimum tillage condition. The highest forage yield (4085 and 3976 kg ha-1) of grass pea was observed in both minimum tillage and conventional tillage systems, respectively. Intercropping patterns increased wheat grain protein concentration by 9.12%. Monoculture of legumes, compared to intercropping, led to improvement in forage quality by increasing protein, phosphorus, and calcium concentrations, and decreasing of neutral detergent fiber and acid detergent fiber. The land equality ratio was more than one in all intercropping patterns of wheat and legumes indicating the advantage of intercropping patterns over monoculture for land use and increased crop yield.
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