Evaluation of Barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) and Vetch (Vicia villosa Roth) Intercropping

To study the effect of barley-vetch intercropping on their yields and yield components, a two-year field experiment was conducted during 2013 and 2014 growing seasons at the Agricultural and Natural Resources Research Station of Miandoab. Factors consisted of 9 mixed treatments: with densities of 250 vetch plants + 300 barley plants, 250 vetch plants + 500 barley plants, 250 vetch plants + 700 barley plants, 450 vetch plants + 300 barley plants, 450 vetch plants + 500 barley plants, 450 vetch plants + 700 barley plants, 650 vetch plants + 300 barley plants, 650 vetch plants + 500 barley and 650 vetch plants + 700 barley plants per square meter and sole cropping of barley (350 plants per m2) and vetch (250 plants per m2). Experimental design was a randomized complete block with four replications. Result of combine analysis showed that there were significant differences among the patterns of planting treatments. The highest number of spikes per square meter (97.88), thousand kernel weight (47.28 g) and biological yield (7.63 t.ha-1) and seed yield (4.36 t.ha-1) were observed in sole cropping of barley. Also, the highest number of plants (379.25), biological yield (63.67 t.ha-1) and seed yield (1.94 t.ha-1) in vetch were belonged to sole cropping of vetch. In this study the highest land equivalent ratio (LER), based on seed yield (1.20) and biological yield (1.48), belonged to 250 vetch + 500 barley plants treatment, which indicate the usefulness of this intercropping treatment, as compared to the sole cropping of these two plant.