EFFECT OF IRRIGATION SCHEDULING ON SUNFLOWER/ FORAGE COWPEA INTERCROPPING PATTERN, GROWTH, YIELD AND ITS COMPONENTS.

Abstract

A field experiment was conducted at Sakha Agricultural Research Station Farm, Kafr El-Sheikh Governorate, during the two growing seasons 2013 and 2014 to study the effect of irrigation scheduling; irrigation at 50 (I1), 65(I2) and 80% (I3) of accumulative pan evaporation (APE) and four systems of sole and intercropping pattern; 1: 1 (P1), 1: 2 (P2) rows for sunflower cv. Sakha 53, forage cowpea cv. balady, sole sunflower (P3) and sole cowpea (P4) in a split plot design with three replications. The important findings could be concluded as follows: The highest values of water applied and consumptive use were recorded under I1 in the two growing seasons and the values were 57.9 and 59.1 cm for water applied and 48.89 and 50.25 cm for water consumed in the first and second season, respectively. On the other hand, the highest mean values of water productively (WP) and productivity of irrigation water (PIW) were recorded under I3 (lowest water applied and consumed) for two crops in the two seasons and the value tended to reduce, gradually, with increasing the irrigation water applied, for planting pattern in 1:2 sunflower/cowpea intercropping pattern gave the highest PIW under I3 where the values were 0.368 and 0.352 kg m-3 of sunflower plus 0.746 and 0.714 kg m-3 in 2013 and 2014 growing seasons, respectively. Likewise, WP takes the same trend in the two growing seasons. Results showed also, all characteristics of sunflower and cowpea were significantly affected by irrigation scheduling and intercropping systems in both seasons. For sunflower; plant height, stem diameter, head diameter, weight of seeds plant-1,100-seed weight, seed yield fed-1 and oil % gave the highest values under irrigation scheduling I2 and the 1: 2 planting pattern. All of the evaluated growth, yield and yield components traits for cowpea plants; plant height , stem diameter , number of leaves plant-1 , dry seed yield , dry matter yield ,dry matter % , crude protein % and crude fiber % exhibited higher figures under irrigation scheduling (I2) and the 1 : 2 planting pattern (P2). Land equivalent ratio (LER) exhibited higher values with I3 irrigation scheduling and 1:2 sunflower/ cowpea planting pattern. The highest total income was attained with the 1: 2 planting pattern and I2 irrigation scheduling.