Biomass yields, radiation interception and radiation use efficiency as influenced by seed rate in a cereal/legume intercropping system

Paper Details

Research Paper 01/08/2012
Views (358) Download (9)
current_issue_feature_image
publication_file

Biomass yields, radiation interception and radiation use efficiency as influenced by seed rate in a cereal/legume intercropping system

Ibrahim Yahuza
Int. J. Agron. Agri. Res.2( 8), 44-76, August 2012.
Certificate: IJAAR 2012 [Generate Certificate]

Abstract

For a cereal/legume intercrop, yield improvement under well-watered conditions depends on greater interception and use of photosynthecally active radiation (PAR) by the intercrop. However, in wheat/faba bean (bean) intercropping system, the effects of sowing rate (sr) on productivity is not well investigated. Findings from five field experiments indicate that mostly the wheat biomass yields (BY) responses to sr were asymptotic. A maximum wheat sole crop BY of up to 1428 g/m2 was found in one of the experiments. Except in one experiment where bean sole crop produced BY of up to 1037 g/m2: bean produced lower biomass than the wheat sole crop. The total intercrop produced greater BY than the wheat sole crop in two of the experiments. Across the experiments, the maximum intercepted PAR was 711 MJ/m2 and 641 MJ/m2 for the wheat sole crop and bean sole crop respectively. In some experiments intercropping improved the PAR interception. Mostly, the maximum wheat sole crop RUE was lower than 3 g/MJ PAR: occasionally intercropping improved the estimates significantly. Intercropping was more efficient than sole cropping as indicated by the total intercrop crop performance ratio (CPR) values for the BY, which were greater than unity with a maximum value of up to 1.63 obtained in one of the experiments. Positive CPR values for intercepted PAR and/or RUE were found at the intercrop that produced greater biomass. This research indicates that wheat/bean intercropping system is beneficial because whilst wheat might use transmitted radiation to produce, bean might use direct irradiance to produce.

VIEWS 14

Adisarwanto T, Knight R. 1997. Effect of sowing date and plant density on yield and yield components in the faba bean. Australian Journal of Agricultural Research 48, 1161-1168.

Areche MM, Briceno-Felix G, Sanchez JAM, Slafer GA. 2009. Radiation interception and use efficiency as affected by breeding in Mediterranean wheat. Field Crops Research 110, 91-97.

Awal MA, Koshi H, Ikeda T. 2006. Radiation interception and use by maize/peanut intercrop canopy. Agricultural and Forest Meteorology 139, 74-83.

Azam-Ali SN. 1995. Assessing the efficiency of radiation use by intercrops. Cited in Azam-Ali SN, Squire, GR. 2002. Principles of Tropical Agronomy. CABI, Wallingford, UK.

Azam-Ali SN, Squire GR. 2002. Principles of Tropical Agronomy. Wallingford, UK: CABI.

Azam-Ali SN, Mathews RB, Williams JH, Peacock JM. 1990. Light use, water uptake and performance of individual components of a sorghum/groundnut intercrop. Experimental Agriculture 26, 413-427.

Biscoe PV, Gallagher JN. 1978. A physiological analysis of cereal yield I. Production of dry matter. Agricultural Progress 53, 34-50.

Bleasdale JKA. 1984. Plant Physiology in Relation to Horticulture, 2nd edition. London: MacMillan.

Bulson HAJ, Snaydon RN, Stopes CE. 1997. Effects of plant density on intercropped wheat and field beans in an organic farming system. Journal of Agricultural Sciences 128, 59-71.

Carretero R, Serrago RA, Bancal MO, Perello AE, Miralles DJ. 2010. Absorbed radiation and radiation use efficiency as affected by foliar diseases in relation to their vertical position into the canopy in wheat. Field Crops Research 116, 184-195.

Confalone A, Lizaso JI, Ruiz-nogueira B, Lopez-cedron F, Sau F. 2010. Growth, PAR use efficiency, and yield components of field-grown Vicia faba L. under different temperature and photoperiod regimes. Field Crops Research 115, 140-148.

Dolman G. 1985. Density trials with systematic designs on intercropped carrots and onions. PhD Thesis, University of Reading, United Kingdom.

Ellis RH, Salahi M, Jones SA. 1999. Yield-density equations can be extended to quantify the effect of applied nitrogen and cultivar on wheat grain yield. Annals of Applied Biology 134, 347-352.

Fischer RA. 2007. Understanding the physiological basis of yield potential in wheat. Journal of Agriculture Science 145, 99–113.

Foulkes MJ, Sylvester-Bradley R, Weightman R,  Snape  JW.  2007.  Identifying  physiological traits associated with improved drought resistance in winter wheat. Field Crops Research 103, 11-24.

Giunta F, Pruneddu G, Motzo R. 2009. Radiation interception, biomass and nitrogen accumulation in different cereal and grain legume species. Field Crops Research 110, 76-84.

Gooding MJ, Kasyanova E, Ruske R, Hauggaard-Nielsen H, Jensen ES, Dahlmann C, Von Fragstein P, Dibet A, Corre-Hellouu G, Crozat Y, Pristeri A, Romeo M, Monti M, Launay M. 2007. Intercropping with pulses to concentrate nitrogen and sulphur in wheat. Journal of Agricultural Science 145, 469-479.

Gooding MJ, Pinyosinwat A, Ellis RH.  2002. Responses of wheat grain yield and quality to seed rate. Journal of Agricultural Science 138, 317-331

Harris  D,  Natarajan  M,  Willey  RW.  1987. Physiological basis for yield advantage in a sorghum/groundnut intercrop exposed to drought 1: dry matter production, yield and light interception. Field Crops Research 17, 259-272.

Haymes R, Lee HC. 1999. Competition between autumn and spring planted grain intercrops of wheat (Triticum aestivum) and field bean (Vicia faba). Field crops Research 62,167-176.

Helenius J, Jokinen K. 1994. Yield advantage and competition in intercropped oats (Avena sativa L.) and faba bean (Vicia faba L.): application of the hyperbolic yield-density model. Field Crops Research 37, 85-94.

Hongo H. 1995. Light and water use in intercropping. PhD Thesis, University of Reading, United Kingdom.

Jahansooz MR, Yunusa IAM, Coventry DR, Palmer AR, Eamus D. 2007. Radiation and water use associated with growth and yields of wheat and chickpea in sole and mixed crops. European Journal of Agronomy 26, 275-282.

Khan HR, Paull JG, Siddique KHM, Stoddard FL. 2010. Faba bean breeding for drought-affected environments. A physiological and agronomic perspective. Field Crops Research 115, 279-286.

Kindred DR, Gooding MJ. 2005. Heterosis for yield and its physiological determinants in wheat. Euphytica 142, 149-159.

Kiniry JR, Jones CA, O’Toole JC, Blanchet R, Cabelguenne M, Spanel DA. 1989. Radiation-use efficiency in biomass accumulation prior to grain filling for five grain-crop species. Field Crops Research 20, 51–64.

Lopez-Bellido FJ, Lopez-Bellido L, Lopez-Bellido RJ. 2005. Competition, growth and yield of faba bean (Vicia faba L.). European Journal of Agronomy 23, 359-400.

Marshall B, Willey RW. 1983. Radiation interception and growth in an intercrop of pearl millet/groundnut. Field Crops Research 7, 141-160.

Neumann  A,  Werner  J,  Rauber  R2009. Evaluation of yield-density relationships and optimization of intercrop compositions of field grown pea-oat intercrops using the replacement series and the response surface design. Field Crops Research 114, 286-294.

O’Connell  MG,  O’Leary  GJ,  Whitfield  DM, Connor DJ. 2004. Interception of photosynthetically active radiation and radiation-use efficiency of wheat, field pea and mustard in a semi-arid environment. Field Crops Research 85, 111-124.

Olesen JE, Berntsen J, Hansen EM, Petersen BM, Petersen J. 2002. Crop nitrogen demand and canopy area expansion in winter wheat during vegetative growth. European Journal of Agronomy 16, 279–294.

Park SE, Benjamin LR, Watkinson AR. 2002. Comparing biological productivity in cropping systems: A competition approach. The Journal of Applied Ecology 39, 416-426.

Reynolds M, Calderni D, Condon A, Vargas M. 2007. Association of source/sink traits with yield, biomass and radiation use efficiency among random sister lines from three wheat crosses in a high yield environment. Journal of Agriculture Science 145, 3-16.

Sinoquet H, Rakocevic M, Varlet-Grancher C. 2000. Comparison of models for daily light partitioning in multispecies canopies. Agricultural and Forest Meteorology 101, 251-263.

Spink JH, Semere T, Sparkes DL, Whaley JM, Foulkes MJ, Clare RW, Scott R K. 2000. Effect of sowing date on the optimum plant density of winter wheat. Annals of Applied Biology 137, 179-188.

Tsubo M, Walker S, Mukhala E. 2001. Comparison of radiation use efficiency of mono/intercropping system with different row orientation. Field Crops Research 71, 17-29.

Vandermeer J. 1989. The Ecology of intercropping. Cambridge, UK: Cambridge University press.

Whaley JM, Sparkes DL, Foulkes MJ, Spinks JH, Senere T, Scott RK. 2000. The physiological response of winter wheat reduction in plant density. Annals of Applied Biology 137, 165-177.

Willey RW. 1985. Evaluation and presentation of intercropping advantages Experimental Agriculture 21, 119-133.

Willey RW, Heath SB. 1969. The quantitative relationship between plant population and crop yield. Advances in Agronomy 21, 281-321.

Yahuza I. 2011b. Yield-density equations and their application for agronomic research: a review. International Journal of Bioscience 1 (5), 1-17.

Yahuza I. 2011b. Review of radiation interception and radiation use efficiency in intercropping in relation to the analysis of wheat/faba bean intercropping system. Journal of Biodiversity and Environmental Sciences 1 (5), 1-15.

Yahuza I. 2011c. Review of some methods of calculating intercrop efficiencies with particular reference to the estimates of intercrop benefits in wheat/faba bean system. International Journal of Bioscience 1 (5), 18-30.

Yahuza I. 2012. Effects of different sowing date and the combined effects of sowing date and seed rates on the performance of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) / faba bean (Vicia faba L.) intercropping system. International Journal of Agronomy and Agricultural Research 2 (3), 24-40.

Zadoks JC, Chang TT, Konzak CF. 1974. A decimal code for the growth stages of cereals. Weed Research 14, 415-421.

Zhang L, van der Werf W, Bastiaans L, Zhang S, Li B, Spiertz JHJ. 2008. Light interception and utilization in relay intercrops of wheat and cotton. Field Crops Research 107, 29-42.

Zhang L, van der Werf W, Zhang S, Li B, Spiertz JHJ. 2007. Growth, yield and quality of wheat and cotton in relay strip intercropping systems. Field Crops Research 103, 178-188.