Advantage of Forage Production in Kochia (Kochia scoparia), Sesbania (Sesbania aculeata) and Guar (Cyamopsis tetragonoliba) Intercropping under Irrigation Water Salinity

The goals of study were to evaluate the competitive and economic indices of Kochia, Sesbania and Guar intercropping to select the best cultivation system in conditions of salinity stress.

This experiment was performed at the National Salinity Research Center (NSRC) Yazd-Iran in 2016 and 2017. Three replicates of this split-plot experiment was done using randomized complete block design. The main factor was salinity stress at three levels (irrigation with 4, 9 and 14 dS/m electrical conductivity) and sub-factor, cultivation systems (three sole cropping of Kochia, Sesbania and Guar and their two and three species intercropping.

The results showed that salinity decreased the height of Sesbania and Guar and the mixed cultivation maintained the height of Guar and reduced leaf temperature. The highest percentage of green cover was at 4 and 9 dS/m in three Species, but at 14 dS/m in Kochia sole cropping which had no significant difference with three species. By increasing the salinity from 4 to 14 dS/m, the leaf chlorophyll index of the Guar decreased 21.9% and Sesbania 11.4%, respectively. Intercropping of the three species increased the leaf chlorophyll concentration. The use of mixed cultivation increased the yield of Guar and Sesbania.

Due to the four advantage indices and Relative Value Total at the three salinity levels (1.16, 1.08 and 1.01), it is recommended to replace Kochia sole cropping by three species intercropping.