Productivity of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) intercropped with rapeseed (Brassica napus L.)

Abstract

Recent advances in agronomy include better understanding of biodiversity in the ecosystem and mechanisms of interactions between crop species. Intercropping encompasses two or more crop species growing together. Enhanced biodiversity in intercropping systems can increase productivity, stability, resilience, and resource-use efficiency of the intercropped species compared with sole-cropping. Feasibility of different wheatrapeseed intercropping patterns were evaluated under three nitrogen fertilizer rates (0, 60, and 120 kg N ha −1) across two experimental years. Besides sole-cropping of wheat (1:0) and rapeseed (0:1), three patterns of wheatrapeseed intercropping were arranged in different ratios, including 3:1, 1:1, and 1:3. Rapeseed growth and development were influenced highly by inter-annual weather variability, which resulted in a low yield in the second year of the experiment. Total cropping system performance, as indicated by dry matter (per plant and per unit area) and grain yield production, increased with adding N fertilizer, especially in the drier year. Additional N fertilizer could only compensate the yield loss due to intercropping in that year. In terms of individual crop production, sole-cropping of wheat was superior to all intercrops under the environmental conditions of the Pannonian region. Overall, among wheat-rapeseed intercropping patterns, the ratio of 3:1 had advantages over the other intercropping patterns in terms of productivity and interspecies competition across contrasting years.

Growth analysis and land equivalent ratio of fenugreek-buckwheat intercrops at different fertilizer types

“…Reasonable intercropping could increase crop growth and productivity (Cecilio et al, 2011), efficient use of the resources water, nitrogen and radiation (Lithourgidis et al, 2011), macronutrients (Kübler et al, 2010;Neugschwandtner and Kaul, 2016a;Salehi et al, 2018) and micronutrients (Neugschwandtner and Kaul, 2016b), yield quality (Klimek-Kopyra et al, 2017) and lower the damage caused by diseases and pests (Hauggaard-Nielsen et al, 2001). However, yield decreases in intercropping have also been reported (Ebrahimi et al, 2017). Functional groups or typical species used in intercropping include legumes (e.g., clover, fenugreek, vetch, beans and peas) and non-legumes (e.g., barley, buckwheat, rye, oat, wheat and flax) (Petropoulos, 2002;Hamzei and Seyyedi, 2016).…”

Impact of crop stand, Rhizobium inoculation, and foliar fertilization on pea root parameters

“…Current research indicates that there are significant interactions between legumes and non-legume crops in intercropping, affecting above-ground biomass production, formation of yield components, plant height, and stem and leaf characteristics (Zajaç et al, 2013;Neugschwandtner and Kaul, 2014;Klimek-Kopyra et al, 2020) and the uptake and use efficiency of macro-and micronutrients (Neugschwandtner and Kaul, 2015Kaul, , 2016aKaul, , 2016bZajaç et al, 2018). Under Central European conditions, grain and biomass yield advantages have been shown for intercrops of naked oat/faba bean (Klimek-Kopyra et al, 2015b) and wheat/rapeseed (Ebrahimi et al, 2017). Klimek-Kopyra et al (2018b) also indicated a negative effect of intercropping on selected physiological parameters with a significant reduction in the green area index (GAI) and the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI) values in pea/ linseed intercrops.…”

Review on: Role of Pulse Intercropping for Hindering Rust Disease and Improving Yield of Wheat (<i>Triticum aestivum</i> L.)

“…benfits results from inter crop should be highly linked with soil micrhohizal functionalities. Wheat rapeseed intercropping with 6 rows of wheat+ 2 rows rapeseed could be an option to enhance yield benefits and rapeseed production [8]. Intercropping of wheat with canola, [17] had significant effects on grain and relative yields of wheat and canola.…”