English

Abstract

Intercropping is considered as an improved system of multiple cropping systems which safeguards crop stand and improves crop production. The main goal of intercropping is to produce high yield from piece of a land by judicious use of available resources which otherwise may not be exploited by a single crop. A study was executed to investigate productivity and resource use in a maize–grain legume intercropping at University of Agriculture, Faisalabad during 2017 and 2018. Experimental treatments included maize, mungbean, mash-bean, and cowpea monocultures (sole crops), and intercropping combinations of maize + mungbean, maize + mash-bean, and maize + cowpea. Highest maize grain yield was observed in maize sole cropping (6520 and 6813 kg ha-1) and maize + mungbean intercropping (6375 and 6542 kg ha-1) during 2017 and 2018 growing seasons, respectively. Maximum seed yield in grain legumes was observed in mung and mash bean sole cropping during both years. Land equivalent ratio (LER) was maximum in maize + cowpea (1.83 and 1.87) and maize + mungbean intercropping (1.77 and 1.80) during both years, respectively. Maximum net economic return (ER) of PKR 134158 ha-1 (≈900 USD) was obtained from maize + mash bean intercropping system with highest benefit cost ratio (2.03) during 2017 while PKR 149358 ha-1 (≈1003 USD) along with benefit cost ratio (2.15) during 2018. Overall, LER and ER results indicated that maize-grain legume intercropping systems were beneficial in terms of land resource utilization and economic returns. The maize-grain legume intercropping systems are more sustainable option for small land-holding farmers in Pakistan. © 2021 Friends Science Publishers