Abstract:
Field experiments on intercropping in maize crop were conducted during 2008 and 2009 at Agriculture Research Institute, Tarnab Peshawar, Pakistan. The experiments were laid out in a randomized complete block design comprising of 11 treatments, including weed free sole maize (WFMz), weedy check sole maize (WCMz), sole French beans (Fb), sole mung-beans (Mb), sole sunflower (Sf), intercropping maize-1-row+Frenchbean-1-row (MzFb 1:1), maize-1- row+Frenchbean-2-rows (MzFb 1:2), maize-1-row+mungbean-1-row(MzMb 1:1), maize-1-row+mungbean-2-rows (MzMb 1:2), maize-1-row+ sunflower-1-row (MzSf 1:1), and maize-1-row+sunflower-2-rows (MzSf 1:2). The treatments significantly affected the weeds and crop parameters. Weed density (136 weeds m-2) and fresh biomass (2769 kg ha-1) were highest in the WCMz and Mb, respectively. The intercropping treatments resulted in 35-56% reduction in weed population. All the intercropping treatments showed 6.46 to 23.93% increase in the yield of maize over WCMz, except that in MzSf 1:2. Overall highest average grain yield of maize (3886 kg ha-1) was recorded in WFMz with 30.65% increase in yield over the WCMz (2695 kg). Among the intercropping treatments, maize yield was highest (3543 kg ha-1) in MzMb 1:1, where the yield was 23.93% higher than the WCMz; though it was at par with the MzFb 1:1 (3232 kg ha-1 with 16.62% yield increase over WCMz). The computed LER ranged between 1.023-1.294. Similarly, the cost benefit ratios (CBRs) ranged between 1.27 and 1.67. Among the intercropping treatments, highest CBR (1.64) was computed for MzSf 1:2, followed by MzMb 1:2 (1.58). Thus, intercropping reduced weed population, boosted maize performance, enhanced land utilization and increased farmers’ monitory advantage.
