Forage yield and quality of intercropped corn and soybean in narrow strips

Abstract

Maize-soybean intercropping can increase forage quality with no detrimental effect on dry matter (DM) yield. The objective of this study was to compare corn-soybean intercrop in narrow strips with corn as monocrop in terms of DM yield and forage quality. This study was conducted in Matamoros, Coahuila (Mexico) in 2006 and 2007. Intercrops were established in rows spaced 0.50 m apart, evaluating alternate corn-soybean strips with one, two, three, and four rows per crop, and a treatment using an alternate twin-row planting pattern per crop, with a 1.0-m row-spacing. As control treatments, monocrops of corn in rows 0.76 m apart and soybean in rows 0.50 m apart were evaluated. A randomized complete block design with four replications was employed. Corn-soybean intercrop produced DM yields similar to those of monocropped corn due to higher corn yields in border rows adjacent to soybean. Crude protein (CP) yields per hectare in intercrop treatments were higher (27.5 to 42.8%) than those of monocropped corn, due to greater CP concentrations in intercrops (16 to 21 g kg -1 ). When soybean was harvested at the beginning maturity stage (R7), neutral detergent fiber concentration was reduced by 60 to 63 g kg -1 in corn-soybean intercropping compared to corn monocrop. Acid detergent fiber was not altered by intercropping. Results indicate that maize-soybean intercrop in narrow strips can provide forage quality advantages without affecting yield.Additional key words: chemical composition, dry matter and ear yields, dry matter partitioning, Glycine max, intraspecific competition, Zea mays. Resumen Rendimiento y calidad de forraje de maíz y soya asociados en franjas angostasLa asociación maíz-soya puede incrementar la calidad del forraje sin disminuir el rendimiento de materia seca (MS). El objetivo del estudio fue comparar la asociación maíz-soya en franjas angostas con maíz en unicultivo en términos de rendimiento de MS y calidad de forraje. El estudio se realizó en 2006 y 2007 en Matamoros, Coahuila, México. Las asociaciones se establecieron en surcos a 0,50 m, en franjas alternas de maíz y soya con uno, dos, tres y cuatro surcos por cultivo y un tratamiento en surcos alternos a 1 m con doble hilera del mismo cultivo. Los testigos fueron maíz y soya en unicultivo establecidos en surcos a 0,76 m y 0,50 m, respectivamente. Se utilizó un diseño experimental de bloques completos al azar con cuatro repeticiones. La asociación maíz-soya produjo rendimientos de MS similares a maíz en unicultivo como resultado de un mayor rendimiento del maíz en los surcos adyacentes a la soya. Debido al mayor contenido de proteína cruda (PC) (16 a 21 g kg -1 ), las asociaciones produjeron rendimientos de PC ha -1 superiores a maíz en unicultivo entre 27,5 y 42,8%. Cuando la soya se cosechó en la fase de inicio de maduración (R7), el contenido de fibra detergente neutro en las asociaciones se redujo entre 60 y 63 g kg -1 en relación a maíz en uni-

Row Arrangements of Maize and Soybean Intercrop on Silage Quality and Grain Yield

“…For most of the arrangements, soybean contributed with more than 10% of the total biomass, although, treatments 1M+1S-30, 2M+1S-30 and 1M+1S-45 showed lower values (Table 5). Results resemble those reported by Sánchez et al (2010) in a two-year study. Note.…”

“…Batista et al (2017) evaluating maize + soybean intercrop (1M+1S) reported similar biomass yield among intercrop and maize monocrop. Sánchez et al (2010) reported that maize plants at border rows showed higher dry mass biomass, which turns out in similar yield of maize monocrop.…”

“…Regarding to the other silage traits such as ashes, neutral detergent fiber (NDF) (%), acid detergent fiber (ADF) (%), and total digestible nutrients (TDN), they were similar among row arrangement tested, collaborating with Sánchez et al (2010) who studying different row arrangements in maize + soybean intercropped during two agricultural years reported similar values to these traits.…”

Intercropping Maize and Faba Bean for Silage Under Swedish Climate Conditions

“…The starch concentration decreased and the NDF concentration increased or remained unchanged by intercropping. Javanmard et al [17] and Sánchez et al [37] also reported increased levels of crude protein but a decreased level of NDF in mixed silage of maize and other legumes such as soybean (G. max), vetch (Vicia villosa), bitter vetch (Vicia ervilia), berseem clover (Trifolium alexandrinum) and common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) compared with sole maize silage. Higher dry matter Different superscript letters within columns indicate significant differences (p \ 0.05) between the treatments (a and b for the main effect of treatment, e and f for the main effect of location and v, x, y and z for the interaction treatment 9 location) digestibility in silage of intercropped maize and faba bean compared with sole maize has been found previously in a sheep digestion trial [32], as confirmed by the results of the present study.…”

Effect of intercropping of corn and soybean on dry matteryield and nutritive value of forage corn

“…Different crop combination ratio affects forage yields ( Kumar et al, 2003;Chen et al, 2004) and crude protein (CP) yield (Altin, 1982). In addition, results showed that CP yields per hectare increased with corn-legume intercrop than that of monocropped corn (Javanmard et al, 2009;Sánchez et al, 2010;Baghdadi et al, 2014). The proportion of seed of intercropping components is one of factor that affects forage yield and CP content.…”