EFFECT OF INTERCROPPING AND FOLIAR FERTILIZERS ON GROWTH, PRODUCTIVITY AND QUALITY OF JERUSALEM ARTICHOKE PLANTS UNDER SANDY SOIL CONDITIONS

Abstract

The present study investigated the impact of Helianthus tuberosus + Helianthus annuus and Helianthus tuberosus + Zea mays L. everta intercropping patterrns in comparison of Helianthus tuberosus (Jerusalem artichoke) sole crops on Jerusalem artichoke growth, yield components and tuber chemical constituents under different NPK fertilization rates. The NPK fertilization treatments were four N-P-K rates (0-0-0, 20-20-20, 12-28-0 and 5-5-40 ratio) as foliar spray three times/season. This experiment was conducted as a 5×4 split - plot arrangement in a randomized complete blocks design with three replications. It was conducted at the Experimental Farm of Horticulture at El-Kassasein station Research. Ismailia Governorate, Egypt, during two consecutive summer seasons of 2017 and 2018. Results revealed that intercropping Jerusalem artichoke with sunflower or popcorn crops mostly gave the lowest values of growth parameters; yield per plant and per feddan as well as chemical constituents of Jerusalem artichoke compared to sole crop in the two seasons. Also, 20-20-20 of NPK rate recorded significant increase in these parameters compared to the other rates under study and control. In most cases, sole Jerusalem artichoke recorded the highest values in tuber yield per plant and per feddan compared to intercropping systems under all NPK fertilization rates. From competitive indices determination, i.e., land equivalent ratio (LER), area time equivalent ratio (ATER) and land utilization efficiency (LUE%) revealed that, applied Jerusalem artichoke + popcorn intercropping pattern was more efficient than sole cropping system and the other one under study when combined with NPK fertilization at 5-5-40 and 20-20-20 without significant differences between both rates. Aggressivity (A) estimation indicated that Jerusalem artichoke was dominant while sunflower or popcorn components were dominated. The interaction treatment between Jerusalem artichoke+m sunflower intercropping pattern and foliar application with N P K at 20- 20 -20 gave the highest values for net economic return as compared to other treatments in both seasons under Ismailia Governorate conditions.