Effect of Different Intercropping Patterns of Common millet and Cowpea on Yield and Yield Components

Effect of Different Intercropping Patterns of Common millet and Cowpea on Yield and Yield ComponentsIntroductionIntercropping systems play an important role in increasing crop quality, yield and environmental quality through the optimal use of soil, light and water nutrients. Due to the importance of intercropping for sustainable agricultural development, this study will be conducted in order to investigate the intercropping of common millet- cowpea under the alternative and incremental model.

This experiment was conducted based on a randomized complete block design with three replications to evaluate the yield and yield components of common millet (v. Pishahang) and cow pea (v. Mashhad) in intercropping. Treatments included 100% common millet (control), 100% cow pea(control), 25% common millet + 75% cow pea, 50% common millet + 50% cow pea, 75% common millet + 25% cow pea, 100% common millet +25% cow pea, 25% common millet + 100% cow pea, 100% common millet + 50% cow peaand 50% common millet + 100% cow pea. The studied traits were yield and yield components for both plants. Also, LER calculated for both plants.

The results of mean comparison of common millet showed that tiller number in common millet in 75% common millet + 25% cowpea and 100% common millet + 50% cowpea and seed number in plant in 25% common millet + 100% cowpea as compared to control (100% common millet) had the highest increase (41% and 40%, respectively) and the highest decrease (86%) among studied traits, respectively.It was also found that seed yield of common millet in 75% common millet + 25% cowpea and 25% common millet + 100% cowpea when compared to control (100% common millet) had the most increase (24%) and the most decrease (31%). Also, the results of cluster analysis in common millet showed that eight cultivated ratios were divided into three clusters and two cultivated ratios 50% common millet + 50% cowpea and 50% common millet + 100% cowpea were introduced as the best cultivated ratios in common millet. In addition, it was found that seed yield of cowpea decreased in all cultivatied ratios with compared to control. However, the greatest decrease was in the cultivatied ratios 25% cowpea+ 100% common millet and 25% cowpea+ 75% common millet. The cluster analysis results in cowpea showed that the eight cultivatied ratios were divided into two clusters, and two cultivatied ratios, control (100% cowpea) and 100% cowpea+ 25% common millet were known as the best cultivated ratios of cowpea. By calculating the land equivalent ratio found that this parameter was more than one in all cultivated ratios, which showed the superiority of mixed cultivation. However, the land equivalent ratio in the cultivated ratios 75% millet + 25% cowpea and 25% millet + 100% cowpea had the highest and lowest land equivalent ratio, respectively.

The results showed that the common millet with cowpea intercropping increased yield and yield components compared to monoculture. The best additive intercropping treatment was 50% common millet + 50% cowpea and 50% common millet + 100% cowpea. LER was much higher than one in all of the intercropping ratios, which indicates an increase in agricultural efficiency and usefulness of different ratios of intercropping crops of common millet and cowpea compared to their pure culture.