Effect of Irrigation Scheduling on Sunflower/ Forage Cowpea Intercropping Pattern, Growth, Yield and Its Components.

Abstract

A field experiment was conducted at Sakha Agricultural Research Station Farm, Kafr El-Sheikh Governorate, during the two growing seasons 2013 and 2014 to study the effect of irrigation scheduling; irrigation at 50 (I 1), 65(I 2) and 80% (I 3) of accumulative pan evaporation (APE) and four systems of sole and intercropping pattern; 1: 1 (P 1), 1: 2 (P 2) rows for sunflower cv. Sakha 53, forage cowpea cv. balady, sole sunflower (P 3) and sole cowpea (P 4) in a split plot design with three replications. The important findings could be concluded as follows: The highest values of water applied and consumptive use were recorded under I 1 in the two growing seasons and the values were 57.9 and 59.1 cm for water applied and 48.89 and 50.25 cm for water consumed in the first and second season, respectively. On the other hand, the highest mean values of water productively (WP) and productivity of irrigation water (PIW) were recorded under I 3 (lowest water applied and consumed) for two crops in the two seasons and the value tended to reduce, gradually, with increasing the irrigation water applied, for planting pattern in 1:2 sunflower/cowpea intercropping pattern gave the highest PIW under I 3 where the values were 0.368 and 0.352 kg m-3 of sunflower plus 0.746 and 0.714 kg m-3 in 2013 and 2014 growing seasons, respectively. Likewise, WP takes the same trend in the two growing seasons. Results showed also, all characteristics of sunflower and cowpea were significantly affected by irrigation scheduling and intercropping systems in both seasons. For sunflower; plant height, stem diameter, head diameter, weight of seeds plant-1 ,100seed weight, seed yield fed-1 and oil % gave the highest values under irrigation scheduling I 2 and the 1: 2 planting pattern. All of the evaluated growth, yield and yield components traits for cowpea plants; plant height , stem diameter , number of leaves plant-1 , dry seed yield , dry matter yield ,dry matter % , crude protein % and crude fiber % exhibited higher figures under irrigation scheduling (I 2) and the 1 : 2 planting pattern (P 2). Land equivalent ratio (LER) exhibited higher values with I 3 irrigation scheduling and 1:2 sunflower/ cowpea planting pattern. The highest total income was attained with the 1: 2 planting pattern and I 2 irrigation scheduling.

Effect of Irrigation Scheduling and Intercropping Pattern on Growth, Yield, Quality of Green Onion, Lettuce and some Water Relations in North Nile Delta Region

“…Increasing the values of seasonal amount of applied water under irrigation treatment I 2 comparing with the other irrigation treatmentsI 1 , I 3 and I 4 this may be due to decreasing irrigation intervals between watering and hence, increasing number of irrigations, therefore, increasing the seasonal applied water amount. These results are in a great harmony with those reported by Ouda et al (2007) and Darwesh, et al (2016).…”

“…Likewise, for WP 2.47 and 2.25 kg of lettuce plus 9.34 and 8.74 kg of green onion in the first and second growing seasons, and the same trend for I 1 , I 2 and I3 irrigation scheduling. These findings were in the same line with the reported by Darwesh et al (2016), they found that planting pattern in 1:1 and 1:2 sunflower/cowpea systems WIP and WP, were recorded with sunflower plus cowpea that were use the same unit of water consumed.…”

“…this might due to the amount of applied water is suitable for growing plants without extravagance for water to make leaching for nutrients or water stress to affect badly in nutrients uptake by plants and forming weak plants and that reflects badly on yield and its attributes. These results are in a great harmony with those reported by Darwesh, et al (2016) Regarding, the impact of intercropping patterns on the above-mentioned studied parameters. All the studied parameters were significant and highly significantly affected by intercropping patterns.…”

“…Therefore, the losses by evaporation from plant surface was high under the condition of this treatment and hence, increasing the values of CU in comparison with the other treatments. These results are in the same line with those obtained by Darwesh, et al (2016) Consumptive use efficiency (Ecu), % Concerning, (Ecu%), the values were clearly affected by irrigation treatments in the two growing seasons, where the highest values were recorded under I 1 , but the lowest values were recorded under irrigation treatment I 3 . Regarding the effect of intercropping patterns on Ecu% data in the same table showed slight effect for intercropping patterns on Ecu%.…”

“…Land equivalent ratios (LER) of all intercrops were greater than unity; denoting that higher productivity per unit area was obtained by growing maize and soybean crops together than by growing them sole. Darwesh, et al (2016) concluded that moderate water scheduling (65% accumulation pan evaporation) in sole crop and intercropping pattern not only does not decrease sunflower and forage cowpea yield, but led to increase yield component. As well as the irrigation water scheduling should be restricted when there is no difference in the crop yield.…”