INTERCROPPED WITH GROUNDNUT ON GROWTH, YIELD AND YIELD COMPONENTS OF BOTH CROPS

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

Crop Intensification Research Section, Field Crops Research Institute, Agricultural Research Center, Giza, Egypt.

Abstract

Two field trials were carried out at South Tahrir Research Station (Ali-
Moubark). These trials were conducted in 2003 and 2004 to evaluate three planting
dates of maize (the over story shade crop) intercropped with groundnut i.e, on 1st
June, 10th June and 20th June, and four plant densities of maize intercropped with
groundnut, i.e, maize was spaced at 50 and 100 cm apart leaving one or two
plants/hill. Groundnut (the main crop) was grown on all rows. The data obtained
indicate that ear length, ear diameter, number of rows/ear, number of kernels/row
and the weight of 100grains increased with increasing maize spacing as well as with
diminishing the number of plants remained per hill after thinning (to one plant/ hill).
On other hand dense planting resulted in higher yield of maize whether by
narrowing maize spacing or increasing the number of maize plants per hill after
thinning. Yield and yield components of maize were significantly decreased by
delaying planting date of maize up to the latest date. Yield /fed and yield
components of groundnut were associated with maize density and distribution. The
more the shade offered by maize the less the values of these traits were obtained.
Highest values were obtained when maize was spaced at 100cm. and thinned to one
plant/ hill. Increases in the values of yield and yield components of groundnut were
associated with delaying the planting date of maize. Delaying the planting date of
maize resulted in increases in the values of land equivalent ratio (LER) and the
relative crowding coefficient. The treatment effect at any planting date of maize
exerted very low competitive pressure when aggressivity was measured. With
delaying seeding maize, competitive ratio (CR) diminished to the least. Spacing
maize at 50cm. apart and leaving two plants / hill after thinning resulted in highest
value of LER and relative crowding coefficient (RCC). Nor any maize density had
any heavy competitive pressure on groundnut when aggressivity was measured

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