Abstract:
Intercropping can improve crop yields, but intercropping under different spatial patterns at large scale in central Punjab, Pakistan has not been studied. In this research, the feasibility of wheat-canola intercropping systems under two spatial patterns(row and mixed intercropping) was carried out to evaluate the interaction between the crops and their effects on their productivity. The treatments included sole wheat, sole canola, one wheat row alternating with one canola row, two wheat rows alternating with two canola rows, four wheat rows alternating with four canola rows and mixed intercropping of wheat +canola (broadcast method). Number of lines of wheat and canola were kept same in intercropping treatments as in their pure stand. Wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) cv. sehar-2006 and canola (Brassica napus L.) hybrid Hyola-401 were used as experimental materials. The results revealed that yield and various yield contributing traits of wheat and canola were influenced significantly by different intercropping treatments. The sole crop of wheat and canola gave higher economic yield i.e., 4.02 and 1.47 t ha-1, respectively. Among intercropping treatments, four rows of wheat alternating with four rows of canola gave higher total land-equivalent ratio (LER) of 1.37, net benefits of Rs. 107492 and benefit cost ratio of 2.76. In this study, row intercropping resulted in consistent over-yielding (LER), and seemed to be enhanced by one to four alternatin grows of wheat and canola. Therefore, for higher crop productivity and economic returns, farmers should cultivate wheat canola in the pattern of four rows of wheat along with four rows of canola.
Page(s):
1325-1330
DOI:
DOI not available
Published:
Journal: International Journal of Agriculture and Biology, Volume: 15, Issue: 6, Year: 2013