Evaluation the Effect of Different Planting ratios on Yield and Yield Components of Intercropping Sesame and Chickpea in Additive Series

In order to evaluate the effect of different planting ratios on yield and yield components of sesame and chickpea in intercropping, an experiment was conducted in Research Farm of Faculty of Agriculture, Ferdowsi University of Mashhad in 2007. The treatments were arranged in split plots based on randomized complete block design with three replications, consisting of two planting methods namely row planting and mixed planting as main plot and five planting ratios including chickpea monoculture, sesame monoculture, 10% chickpea+100% sesame, 20% chickpea+100% sesame, 30% chickpea+100% sesame as sub plot. The results showed that the highest sesame yield of 1.8 t/ha was obtained in 20% chickpea+100% sesame intercropping at row planting pattern and the lowest yield of 0.74 ton/ha was obtained from 10% chickpea+100% sesame ratio with mixed planting. Land equivalent ratio (RYT) showed that with 20% chickpea+100% sesame, 30% chickpea+100% sesame and 10% chickpea+100% sesame ratio the yield was respectively 39% (RYT=1.39), 28% (RYT=1.28) and 24% (RYT=1.24) more than monoculture. This could be attributed to better utilization of environmental resourses by these combinations of the crops.