The Effects of Nitrogen Fertilization on Intercropped Strawberry and Broad Bean

Abstract

ABSTRACT To determine different aspects of intercropping strawberry (Fragaria xananassa L. Duch.) with broad bean (Vicia faba L. cv. Lara) and their similarities to different nitrogen concentrations, this field study was conducted for three years. The overall efficiency of intercropping was measured by using Land Equivalent Ratios (LERs). In intercropping plots, broad bean seeds were sown in the middle of strawberry rows. Meanwhile strawberries and broad beans were also grown as sole crops based on identical experimental design. Nitrogen was applied at three different rates (0, 80, and 160 kg/ha) in both sole and intercrop plots of strawberry. Sole cropping broad beans grown with no fertilizer-N application were considered the control. As a result of these studies, it was reported that the chemical characteristics such as ascorbic acid, total soluble solid, and titratable acidity of strawberry fruits were not significantly affected by either intercropping or nitrogen fertilization. While cropping system did not have any negative effects on fruit weight, fruit weight per plant, and yield of strawberry, nitrogen application rate did significantly affect these parameters. The 80 kg/ha nitrogen application gave maximum amount of marketable fruits for strawberry in both sole cropping and intercropping. Cropping system interaction with nitrogen application showed significant differences in fruit weight per plant and total fruit weight of strawberry. Intercropping caused some phenotypic alteration such as increasing height and growth habits of broad bean. However, there were no significant reductions in pod numbers, pod weight per plants and total yield of intercropped broad bean at 80 kg/ha nitrogen application as compared with sole cropping. Strawberry intercropped with broad bean at 80 kg/ha nitrogen gave the best LER values, indicating that intercropping might be more productive than sole cropping especially in case of 80 kg/ha nitrogen application.