Abstract
Yield of some crops performs better in the intercropping than sole cropping system. Sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) canopy is fragile providing a lot of ground cover, hence, therefore, has a great potential to intercrop with a short stature and/or duration crop making it comparable for the better net return in a cropping system. Field experiment was, therefore, expressly conducted to study the mungbean (Vigna radiata L.) in sunflower intercropped on different sowing dates (same sowing date with sunflower, one, two and three weeks delay in sowing from the main sunflower) and rows in combinations (1:1 and 1:2) sunflower-mungbean as intercrop and sole crop of each species for to study yield and yield traits during spring 2011 and 2012 crop growth seasons. Experiments were conducted in randomized complete block design (RCBD), replicated four times at Agronomy Research Farm, the University of Agriculture Peshawar, Pakistan. Data were recorded on plant phenology, yield and yield traits of the main (sunflower) and companion (mungbean) crops. Intercropping did not influence any of the observed morphological traits, yield contributing traits or grain yield of the main sunflower crop. Companion mungbean crop also did not show any advantage (p<0.05) on sole mungbean due to resources competition i.e. solar radiations, nutrients, water and space in the canopy on the ground area. Treatment row combination i.e. 1:1 and 1:2 (sunflower : mungbean) also did not show any advantage in grains yield and/or any of the observed yield trait of mungbean which exhibited sufficient space under the sunflower canopy for mungbean growth and development as additional crop for sustainable soil fertility. Different sowing dates i.e. about a month in delay sowing of intercrop from main sunflower crop did not show any significant (p<0.05) loss in yield or yield contributing traits. The study suggested that mungbean (Cv. Chakwal mung-06) can expectantly be intercropped in sunflower hybrid (Hysun-33) to make it competitive with any other crop of the cropping system in region subject to working on an appropriate planting geometry for sunflower and potential variety of the sunflower to be intercropped.
Highlights
Intercropping is developing two crops together on a piece of land for a season, has improved farming system by efficiently utilizing the natural resources and markedly increasing yield [1]
By its plant height and fragile canopy volume, it can successfully be intercropped with grain legumes and for fodder, which are extremely short in Pakistan
Experiment details To study mungbean intercropped in sunflower on different sowing dates (SD) and row combinations (RC), experiment was conducted in spring 2011 and repeated in spring 2012
Summary
Intercropping is developing two crops together on a piece of land for a season, has improved farming system by efficiently utilizing the natural resources and markedly increasing yield [1]. Results Main crop Different parameters measured viz., days to emergence, flowering, maturity, leaf area index (LAI), plant height (cm), plants population at harvest, head diameter (cm), number of grains head-1, grain yield (kg ha-1), biological yield (kg ha-1) and harvest index (HI) of sunflower crop did not differ by treatments or their possible interactions (Table 1). Companion crop Sowing dates means i.e. same dates and subsequent delay for four weeks of mungbean within the sunflower (Table 3), row combinations means i.e. 1:1 and 1:2 and cropping systems means i.e. sole vs intercrop (Table 4), competitive indices (Table 5) and the possible interactions are presented separately. Data regarding phenology (i.e. days to emergence, days to flowering and days to maturity) were significantly (p
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