Influences of Some Preceding Winter Crops and Nitrogen Fertilizer Rates on Yield and Quality of Intercropped Maize with Cowpea

Abstract

A field study was conducted in Mallawi Agricultural Experiments and Research Station, Agricultural Research Center (ARC), El-Minia governorate, Egypt to decrease mineral nitrogen (N) inputs of maize with good yield quality and increase farmers' benefit. Local maize cultivar T.W.C. 310 was grown under intercropping and sole cultures in one row/ridge that received three mineral N fertilizer rates (75, 87.5 and 100% of the recommended N rate of maize), while local cultivar of cowpea seeds Keraim ‐ 1 were drilled in one row and two rows/ridge under intercropping and sole cultures, respectively. A split split plot design with three replicates was used. Quality of maize grains was tested in the laboratories of Seed Technology Research Department, Field Crops Research Original Research Article