In order to evaluate yield and some physiological traits of forage corn under nitrogen fertilizers (biological, chemical and integrated) in additive intercropping with basil a field experiment was carried out in the Experimental Farm of Faculty of Agriculture, Lorestan University during 2014-2015 growing seasons. Treatments were arranged in a factorial experiment based on randomized complete blocks design with three replications. Experimental treatments were 100% chemical fertilizer (N), bio-fertilizer (nitroxin), integration of bio-fertilizer + 50% chemical fertilizer and control in different intercropping systems consisted of sole cropping corn and the additive intercropping of corn + 25% sweet basil, corn + 50% sweet basil, corn + 75% sweet basil and corn + 100% sweet basil. The results showed that integration of bio-fertilizer + 50% chemical fertilizer had the highest number of green leaves per plant (11.72) and leaf area index (LAI) (3.75) and there was no significant difference between this treatment and using 100% chemical fertilizer (N) in plant height, stem dry weight, chlorophyll a, chlorophyll b and carotenoids contents. Among different intercropping systems the highest plant height (179.25 cm), number of green leaves per plant (11.4), leaf dry weight (5.64 ton*ha ), chlorophyll a (0.62 mg*g -1 FW), chlorophyll b (0.42 mg*g -1 FW), and total chlorophyll (1.04 mg*g -1 FW) were obtained from sole cropping pattern. However, sole cropping pattern in terms of mentioned traits except for number of green leaves per plant, ear dry weight and total dry weight had no significant difference with corn + 25% sweet basil and corn + 50% sweet basil treatments The results showed that integration of bio-fertilizer + 50% chemical fertilizer could be considered as an approach to reduce the consumption of chemical fertilizers for sustainable agriculture
A field study was conducted in order to evaluate the effects of intercropping and biofertilizers on yield and yield components of purslane (Portulaca oleracea L.) and dragon's head (Lallemantia iberica Fisch. and C.A. Mey). The experiment was factorial on the basis of a randomized complete block design with three replications. The first factor was an additive intercropping system including monocultured purslane, monocultured dragon's head, intercropping of 100% purslane + 25% dragon's head, intercropping of 100% purslane + 50% dragon's head, intercropping of 100% purslane + 75% dragon's head; the second factor was nutrient treatments including application of 50% inorganic N fertilizer (urea) + nitroxin, inorganic N fertilizer (urea), nitroxin and no fertilizer. Results showed that as the density of dragon's head increased, the number of branches in purslane decreased. In purslane, the number of capsules was significantly affected by intercropping and application of biofertilizers. In both crops, the effects of treatments on yield were significant. Results clearly showed that Relative Yield Total (RYT) was always higher in intercropping than monocultured systems. The highest RYT was observed in intercropping of 100% purslane + 50% dragon's head with the application of 50% inorganic N fertilizer (urea) + nitroxin. Therefore, combination usage of biofertilizers and inorganic N fertilizers can improve yields in purslane/dragon's head intercropping.
Intercropping fodder plants with medicinal plants, in addition to enhancing productivity, can remarkably reduce the population of weeds, pests and diseases and for naturally meeting of livestock medicinal needs. Two experiments were conducted to evaluate biological yield, essential oil (EO) composition and yield of sweet basil (Ocimum basilicum L.) treated with N2 fixing bacteria in additive intercropping with forage maize during the 2018 and 2019. Treatments were arranged in factorial split-plot-in time in randomized complete block design with three replications. The factors were 100% chemical fertilizer (N), N2 fixing bacteria (Azospirillum brasilense and Azotobacter chroococcum), integration of N2 fixing bacteria + 50% nitrogen chemical fertilizer and control. The cropping pattern factor included of sole cropping basil and the additive intercropping of maize + 25% basil, maize + 50% basil, maize + 75% basil, and maize + 100% basil. The results indicated that the highest essential oil yield (30.8 kg ha−1) and essential oil percentage (0.75%) were obtained in sole cropping with A. brasilense and A. chroococcum + 50% chemical nitrogen fertilizer application in second harvest in 2019. In both cropping systems, the N2 fixing bacteria application significantly increased fresh and dry yield and land equivalent ratio (LER) as compared to control plants. In both years of experiments could remarkably vary depending on type of treatment. In both years, eight constituents including methyl chavicol (17.24–51.28%), Z-citral (neral) (8.33–24.3%), geranial (10.2–31.3%), (E)-caryophyllene (1.05–5.64%), α-trans-bergamotene (0.53–1.7%), α-humulene (0.4–1.69%), germacrene-D (0.2–1.88%), and (Z)-α- bisabolene (1.16–3.86%) were the main constituents of EO. The highest content of methyl chavicol was found through sole cropping of sweet basil with nitrogen chemical fertilizer followed by sole cropping of sweet basil with an integration of A. brasilense and A. chroococcum + 50% nitrogen chemical fertilizer in 2018 and 2019. Intercropping system and N2 fixing bacteria can be effective in reducing chemical fertilizer consumption and environmental pollution and achieving the sustainable agriculture goals.
Declining land productivity associated with decreasing soil organic carbon (SOC) and nitrogen (N) are significant issues in monoculture crop production. In addition, continuous use of inorganic fertilizer often leads to unsustainability in crop production and creating environmental pollution. Considering the importance of purslane (Portulaca oleracea L.) and dragon’s head (Lallemantia iberica Fisch. & C.A. Mey) in human nutrition, a field study was carried out to assess the effects of chemical and biological fertilizers on purslane-dragon’s head intercropping. The factorial experiment was set on the basis of randomized complete block design with three replications. The first factor was an additive intercropping system including monocropping of purslane (P), monocropping of dragon’s head (D), intercropping of 100% purslane + 25% dragon’s head (PD25), intercropping of 100% purslane + 50% dragon’s head (PD50), intercropping of 100% purslane + 75% dragon’s head (PD75); the second factor was nutrient treatments including application of 50% inorganic N fertilizer (urea) + nitroxin (F1), inorganic N fertilizer (urea) (F2), nitroxin (F3) and no fertilizer (F4). For purslane crop, the highest amount of relative chlorophyll (SPAD) belonged to PD75 + F1 treatment. Intercropping increased stem height of both crop plants. The data obtained hereby clearly showed that the total yield of the purslane-dragon’s head intercropping treatments was higher than any of the monocropping treatments. PD50 + F1 had the highest amount of land equivalent ratio (LER). Therefore, intercropping of 100% purslane + 50% dragon’s head and application of 50% urea + nitroxin might be recommended for higher yield and economic return.
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