Effects of Different Intercropping Patterns on Quantitative Traits and Essential Oil of Calendula (Calendula officinalis L.) and Lavender (Lavandula angustifolia L.)

In order to determine the most appropriate intercropping pattern of pot marigold (Calendula officinalis L.) and lavender (Lavandula angustifolia L.), an experiment was conducted as completely randomized block design with three replications during 2017-2018 cropping season. Intercropping treatments included: different intercropping ratios of calendula and lavender (100% calendula:  calendula sole crop, 75% calendula: 25% lavender, 50% calendula: 50% Lavender, 25% calendula flower: 75% lavender, and 100% lavender: evergreen sole crop). The measured traits included plant height, fresh and dry weight of shoot, leaf chlorophyll, essential oil percentage and Land Equivalent Ratio (LER) index. The results showed that the highest plant height (64.54 and 51.56 cm), shoot dry weight (820.17 and 139.67 g m-2), and flower yield (661 and 4.29 g m-2) were observed in sole culture of pot marigold and lavender, respectively. The number of branches and the percentage of essential oil for both crops under intercropping treatments were higher than sole culture. The land equivalent ratio (LER) in all intercropping treatments except 25% pot marigold and 75% lavender was higher than one and between 1.4 and 1.75. In general, intercropping of pot marigold with lavender as 50%:50% is recommended higher efficiency and production stability.