Abstract
Given the growing interest in ecological intensification directed towards sustainable crop production, a study was conducted to assess the biological and production response of pea intercropped with spring wheat or linseed under various growing conditions. The experiment was conducted in 2009–2011 on a Haplic Phaeozem soil in the western part of Poland. Intercropping of pea significantly reduced the green area index and the normalized difference vegetation index values, but growing pea with linseed caused a significant increase in the number of nodes with pods, pods per stem, and seeds per stem. Intercropping with wheat increased the seed number per pod. Seed inoculation with Nitragina significantly increased the number of pea pods and seeds per stem. Wheat intercropped with pea, with inoculation and foliar fertilization, attained significantly lower straw weight and spike length. Intercropping of linseed significantly reduced the features of the yield structure. Bacterial inoculation increased the production potential of pea at the expense of the supporting plants.
Highlights
Interest in sustainable agriculture, which assumes increased diversification of crop rotations, biodiversity and promotion of legumes, continues to grow around the world [1,2]
Foliar application of the micronutrient fertilizer Photrel significantly increased the green area index (GAI) of the crop at the end of fruit development (BBCH 77–79), on average by 0.55 m2 m−2 compared to the control, probably by extending the life-span of the leaves
Lower stomatal resistances were observed at the inflorescence emergence stage of pea (BBCH 51–57), intercropped with wheat or linseed (3.08 and 3.25 s cm−1, respectively) than for sole cropping of pea
Summary
Interest in sustainable agriculture, which assumes increased diversification of crop rotations, biodiversity and promotion of legumes, continues to grow around the world [1,2]. Cultivation of legumes, alone or in mixed croppings with other plants, has an important role in sustainable development policy. Cereal–legume mixtures in Europe are harvested for green matter and seeds as a valuable source of fodder protein and for soil nitrogen enhancement for crops [7,8,9]. The cultivation of peas in mixtures, currently mainly with spring cereals, makes it possible to increase the yield of above-ground biomass per unit area [11]. Intercropping of cereals with pea is an effective solution for sustainable agriculture, as it increases nitrogen yield per unit area and reduces leaching of nitrogen compounds from the soil profile by rain and groundwater [7,12].
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