Agriculture and horticulture
Y. Esmaeilian; A. Jalali
Abstract
This experiment was conducted as split-plot in a randomized complete block design with three replications at the research farm of University of Gonabad in the 2017-18 crop year. The main plot included control, chemical fertilizer (100, 120, and 150 kg.ha-1 urea, triple superphosphate, and potassium sulphate, ...
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This experiment was conducted as split-plot in a randomized complete block design with three replications at the research farm of University of Gonabad in the 2017-18 crop year. The main plot included control, chemical fertilizer (100, 120, and 150 kg.ha-1 urea, triple superphosphate, and potassium sulphate, respectively), and vermicompost (10 t.ha-1) and sub-plot consisted of garlic (Allium sativum L.) and fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-graceum L.) intercropping in 25:75, 50:50, 75:25, and 100:100 proportions and sole cropping of two crops. The results showed that the highest number and bulblet length was obtained in the chemical fertilizer treatment, however there was no significant difference between this treatment and vermicompost. While, the vermicompost treatment resulted in the highest bulblet diameter. The highest bulblet number was obtained in the 50:50 intercropping treatment and the highest length and bulblet diameter was obtained in the 25:75 one. The highest biological yield and bulb yield (3867 and 2293 kg.ha-1) was obtained in the sole cropping of garlic and chemical fertilizer treatment. The highest garlic essential oil was obtained in the vermicompost (2.33%) and 50:50 intercropping (2.36%) treatments. The plant height and number of pods per plant in fenugreek had the highest increase (30 and 21%, respectively) in the chemical nutrition treatment. Also, the highest number of pods per plant was obtained in the 25:75 intercropping treatment. The highest forage and seed yield of fenugreek (2057 and 682 kg.ha-1, respectively) was observed in the sole cropping and chemical fertilizer treatment. The biological yield was higher in the chemical (2800 kg.ha-1) and organic (2733 kg.ha-1) fertilizer treatments under sole cropping. The highest essential oil of fenugreek seeds was observed in the chemical fertilizer (1.16%) and 75:25 intercropping (1.12%) treatments. The intercropping patterns recorded the land equivalent ratios above 1 and the best situation was obtained from 100:100 intercropping. Garlic was superior to fenugreek in the intercropping treatments except for 100:100 pattern. The intercropping advantage was greater than 1 except for the 100:100 treatment and the highest economic advantage was obtained in the 25:75 pattern and organic fertilizer treatment.
Agriculture and horticulture
M. Naghizadeh; R. Moradi
Abstract
This study was conducted to investigate the potential of lavender (Lavandula angustifolia Mill.) and chamomile (Matricaria chamomilla L.) additive intercropping to improve the radiation use efficiency as a factorial based on the randomized complete block design with three replications at the research ...
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This study was conducted to investigate the potential of lavender (Lavandula angustifolia Mill.) and chamomile (Matricaria chamomilla L.) additive intercropping to improve the radiation use efficiency as a factorial based on the randomized complete block design with three replications at the research farm of Bardsir Agricultural Faculty, Shahid Bahonar University of Kerman, in 2018-2019 crop year. The experimental treatments included the fertilizer at four levels (1- Control, 2- NPK: 69-46-25 kg ha-1, 3- Cow manure: 20 t ha-1, and 4- Combination the half values of NPK and cow manure) and the planting pattern at three levels (1- Sole cropping of lavender, 2- Sole cropping of chamomile, and 3- Additive intercropping of lavender (main plant) and chamomile (associated plant)). The results showed that the total leaf area index of the two plants in intercropping was significantly higher than the sole cropping of them. The combined application of cow manure + NPK caused the highest lavender dry matter (DM) (868 kg ha-1), chamomile flower yield (366 kg ha-1), essential oil percentage of chamomile (0.56%) and lavender (0.80%), and radiation interception (1321 MJ m-2) in all the planting patterns. There was no significant difference between the planting patterns in terms of essential oil percentage. Due to the canopy overlap of the two plants in the intercropping, the value of photosynthetic active radiation (PAR) intercepted during the growing season in the intercropping treatment was higher than the sole cropping of both plants. The land equivalent ratio (LER) in terms of PAR (LERPAR) varied between 1.33 and 1.37 in fertilizer treatments. The highest radiation use efficiency (1.63 g DM MJ-1 radiation) was obtained for chamomile in the intercropping at the cow manure + NPK treatment. In general, the results illustrated that the application of cow manure + NPK treatment and intercropping of lavender and chamomile could be an appropriate approach for more efficient radiation use and improving the quantitative and qualitative yield of the two plants.