Farideh Akbari; Mehdi Dahmardeh; Ali Morshdi; Ahmad Ghanbari; Soror Khoramdel
Abstract
In order to investigate the N uptake and N utilization efficiency and nitrogen harvest index in corn and bean intercropping under the influence of tillage systems and residues of wheat an experiment was performed using split- split plots based on a randomized complete block design with three replications ...
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In order to investigate the N uptake and N utilization efficiency and nitrogen harvest index in corn and bean intercropping under the influence of tillage systems and residues of wheat an experiment was performed using split- split plots based on a randomized complete block design with three replications in agricultural research field of Shahrekord during growing season of 2016–2017. The tillage systems with three levels (conventional, minimum, and no tillage) and four levels of crop residue (0, 30, 60, and 90% of straw yield of wheat) and five intercropping patterns including corn monoculture, bean monoculture, corn and bean ratio with 2:2, 3:1 and 1:3 were considered as main, sub and sub-sub plots, respectively. The results showed that the highest nitrogen content in seed and biomass of both crops under conditions of use of 60% of plant residues, no- tillage systems and their monocultures. Agronomic use nitrogen efficiency in intercropping was lower than their monocultures. The highest N utilization efficiency was obtained in 3: 1 and 2: 2, indicating a clear superiority of intercropping than monoculture. Therefore, intercropping corn and bean can improve the nitrogen utilization efficiency. By decreasing nitrogen fertilizer application, it can play an important role in the long-term sustainability of agro-ecosystems production.
Elnaz Ebrahimian; Alireza Koochaki; Mehdi Nasiri Mahalati; Soroor Khorramdel; Alireza Beheshti
Abstract
In order to study the effects of tillage systems and wheat residue levels on soil physical, chemical and biological characteristics a randomized complete block design arranged in split block with three replications was set in research farm of Ferdowsi University of Mashhad in 2013-2014 growing season. ...
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In order to study the effects of tillage systems and wheat residue levels on soil physical, chemical and biological characteristics a randomized complete block design arranged in split block with three replications was set in research farm of Ferdowsi University of Mashhad in 2013-2014 growing season. Four different tillage systems (disk, mouldboard plough + disk, sweep plough + disk and chisel plough + disk) as vertical factor were employed in combination with five different crop residue applications (0, 25, 50, 75 and 100 percent wheat residue) as horizontal factor. Due to soil sampling in April (2013), November (2013) and June (2014), data were analysed as split block in time. According to the results, the lowest total nitrogen (0.094%), available phosphorus (12.50 mg/kg) and organic carbon (0.52%) were observed when mouldboard plough was applied, while the highest values were obtained using chisel plough followed by disk. Irrespective of sampling time, total nitrogen, available phosphorus and potassium as well as organic carbon significantly increased with increasing wheat residue application. Furthermore, crop residue application caused significant reduction in soil pH (up to 0.45 unit) and improved microbial biomass and activity (by 20.6%).
Esmaeil Rezaei-chiyaneh; Sorour Khorramdel; Parisa Garachali
Abstract
To evaluate the yield components, yield and land equivalent ratio affected by relay intercropping of sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) with faba bean (Vicia faba L.), a field experiment was arranged based on a randomized complete block design with three replications at the Agricultural Research Station ...
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To evaluate the yield components, yield and land equivalent ratio affected by relay intercropping of sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) with faba bean (Vicia faba L.), a field experiment was arranged based on a randomized complete block design with three replications at the Agricultural Research Station Payamenoor University of Nagadeh, Iran during growing reason of 2012-2013. The treatments included row intercropping )one row of sunflower + one row of faba bean(, strip intercropping )two rows of faba bean + four rows of sunflower, four rows of faba bean + two rows of sunflower, three rows of faba bean + three rows of sunflower( and monoculture faba bean and sunflower. The results indicated that the relay intercropping patterns had significant effect on studied traits of sunflower and faba bean (except number of seed per pod of faba bean). The highest seed yield of sunflower (4140 kg/ha) and faba bean (2567.33 kg/ha) were obtained from row intercropping and the lowest seed yield of sunflower (3136.67 kg/ha) and faba bean (1957 kg/ha) were obtained in their monoculture. The oil percentage of all intercropping treatments was higher than monoculture. The maximum land equivalent ratio (1.85) and actual yield loss (1.74) were calculated in row intercropping and the highest intercropping advantage (1.25) was achieved in four rows of faba bean + two rows of sunflower. The results showed that the use of relay intercropping results in better utilization of environmental resources and increased crop production compared to monoculture of the same species.