Effect of phosphate solubilizing bacteria inoculation on yield's characteristics of dragon's head (Lallemantia iberica) and chickpea (Cicer aritinum L.) in monoculture and intercropping conditions

Intercropping and use of biofertilizers are important for improving the quantitative and qualitative yield of plants from a sustainable agricultural perspective. In order to evaluate the effect of phosphate solubilizing bacteria on yield and yield components of dragon's head and chickpea sole and intercropping, a 2-years (2013-2014) factorial experiment were conducted based on randomized complete block design with three replications at the agricultural research Campus in Nagadeh, Iran. Treatments including sole and intercropping of chickpea (30 and 40 plants/m2), dragon's head (160 plants/m2) and inoculation with two inoculated phosphates biofertilizer (Bacillus lentus and Pseudomonas putida) and without inoculation. In inoculated chickpea, the highest amount of seeds per pods (1.3), seed yield (674.1 kg/ha) and harvest index (49.96 %) were obtained from sole cropping of 30 plants/m2 at first year. The minimum amounts of them were obtained from intercropping of chickpea 40 plants/m2 and dragon's head at second year under control treatment. At first year, in sole cropping of bacterial inoculated dragon's head, the maximum number of seeds per plant (106.5), seed yield (489.5 kg/ha) and harvest index (22.1 %) were obtained, the minimum of them observed from intercropping of dragon's head and chickpea 40 plants/m2 without inoculated at 2013. LER in inoculated intercropping of chickpea 30 plants/m2 and dragon's head was 1.74, that showed intercropping improved land use efficiency by 74% compared with sole cropping, and this treatment can be effective in stabilizing production and agricultural land utilization.