Intercropping hard red spring wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) with flax (Linum usitatissimum L.) could offer advantages over monocropping in dry regions of northern latitudes. Our objective was to determine if wheat yield could be maintained while also producing an economic yield of flax. Two high yielding wheat cultivars, ‘Amidon’ and ‘Grandin’, were sown at 65 lb/acre in a monoculture and intercropped with ‘Linton’ flax sown at 32 lb/acre. North Dakota dryland management was used in 1989 and 1990, but supplemental irrigation also was evaluated in 1990. Intercrop patterns included establishment of both crops in the same row, in alternate rows, and in plots where flax was broadcast seeded into wheat. An additional intercrop pattern was included during 1990; flax and wheat were seeded in rows perpendicular to each other. Compared with sole cropping, intercropping reduced flax yield more than 90%, and sometimes reduced wheat yield by almost 25% (P < 0.05). Economic returns were generally greater for a monoculture of wheat or flax than for intercrops. Land equivalent ratios (LERs) failed to indicate any advantage for intercropping. This study shows that an economic flax yield is not produced when a monoculture wheat population (app. 20 plants/sq ft) is established in a wheat-flax intercrop. Work is needed to determine if the economic performance of wheat-flax intercrops is improved when the seeding rate for wheat is considerably less than in a monoculture. Research Question Flax (Linum usitatissimum L.) is a difficult-to-grow but important oil-seed crop in portions of the Great Plains and upper Midwest. Intercropping flax with small grain crops could alleviate production problems encountered when growing flax alone. This study compared the economics of intercropping flax and wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) to growing each crop in a monoculture. Literature Summary Research in the 1920s indicated that intercropping flax and spring wheat reduced weed competition and improved wheat grain quality. Intercropping, however, tended to reduce flax and wheat yield compared with sole cropping, particularly during periods of environmental stress. The tendency of intercropping to reduce yields, along with technological constraints, resulted in abandonment of the practice. Intercropping flax with wheat may compare favorably with sole cropping because of cultivar improvements and farm machinery developments since the 1920s. Study Description Two spring wheat cultivars were each planted at 65 lb/acre alone and intercropped with flax planted at 32 lb/acre in 1989 and 1990 at Carrington, ND. Spring wheat cultivars: Amidon and Grandin Flax Cultivar: Linton Soil: Heimdal Weed control: Hoelon and Bronate Seeding row width: 6-in. Treatments: Flax planted alone Wheat planted alone Flax and wheat planted in the same row Flax and wheat planted in alternating rows Flax broadcast planted and then harrowed into wheat Flax planted in perpendicular rows to the wheat (in 1990 only) Applied Question Were flax and wheat yields reduced by intercropping? Intercropping reduced flax yields more than 90%, and sometimes reduced wheat yields by almost 25% (Fig. 1). Intercropping reduced flax yield partially because the wheat plants shaded flax plants. Competition between crops for water also helped explain why intercropping reduced flax and, in some instances, wheat yields. Did the economics of intercropping flax and wheat compare favorably with sole cropping either crop? Figure 1Open in figure viewerPowerPoint Grain yield of wheat and flax grown alone and intercropped in alternating 6-in. rows (Alt), in the same row (Mix), and with flax broadcast seeded and then harrowed into wheat (Broad). Economic returns were generally greater when wheat and flax were grown alone than when growing both crops together. Therefore, little incentive exists for intercropping flax and wheat under economic assumptions made in this study, which included a cost of $0.65/bu of wheat for separating mixed grain following harvest. If mixed grain could be separated on the farm, however, then returns from intercropping could compare favorably with sole cropping. Reducing wheat populations in intercrops compared with a sole crop may also improve the performance of flax-wheat mixtures.
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Jun 3, 2011
Y Ni + 5
Open Access