Evaluation of conservation and conventional tillage systems on the forage quality and quantity of wheat (Trifolium resupinatum L.), vetch (Vicia villosa L.) and clover (Trifolium resupinatum L.) in intercropping

Document Type : Complete scientific research article

Authors

1 Ph.D. Student of Crop Ecology, Department of Agronomy and Plant Breeding, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Ilam, Ilam, Iran

2 Assistant Professor, Department of Agronomy and Plant Breeding, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Ilam, Ilam, Iran,

3 Associate Professor, Department of Chemical, Pharmaceutical and Agricultural Sciences, University of Ferrara, Ferrara, Italy

10.22069/ejcp.2024.22568.2633

Abstract

Background and objectives: The sustainability of agricultural systems can be improved by practices such as intercropping and conservation tillage systems. This research aimed to investigate the intercropping of wheat with clover and vetch to increase the quantitative and qualitative yield and the beneficial use of environmental resources in conservation and conventional tillage systems.
Materials and methods: The experiment was carried out in the form of split plots in a randomized complete block design with three replications in the research farm of Ilam University in the crop year of 2018-2019. Tillage regimes as the main factor in three levels were assigned to the main plots, including conventional tillage, minimum tillage and no tillage. The sub-plots included different cultivation patterns at five levels (Wheat monoculture, monoculture clover, monoculture vetch, 100% wheat + 50% clover intercropping and 100% wheat + 50% vetch intercropping).
Results: The results showed that the grain yield of wheat in the intercropping of wheat+ clover and wheat + vetch in the system no-tillage was 29.7 and 19.4% respectively and in conventional tillage it was lower by 13.6 and 17.9% respectively compared to monoculture. In the minimum tillage system, wheat grain yield in the intercropping of wheat + clover was higher by 6.6% compared to wheat monoculture. The forage yield of vetch in the monoculture pattern in the system no-tillage, minimum tillage and conventional tillage was higher by 41.3, 73.4 and 54.3%, respectively, compared to the intercropping of wheat + vetch. In minimum tillage, the forage yield of clover was 24.7% higher than the conventional tillage system. Phosphorus concentration of wheat grain increased by 21.9% the intercropping of wheat + vetch compared to monoculture of wheat. The concentration of wheat grain protein in the intercropping of wheat+ clover and wheat + vetch was on average 8.5% higher than that of wheat monoculture. Calcium content of vetch forage in the system without tillage decreased by 16.81% compared to conventional tillage. Phosphorus of clover and vetch forage in minimum tillage was 34.5 and 15.1% higher than no-tillage. Phosphorus content of vetch forage in intercropping decreased by 11.40% compared to monoculture of vetch. In the intercropping of wheat+ clover and wheat + vetch forage protein was 14.06 and 6.71% less than the monoculture of these plants, respectively. The amount of neutral detergent fiber (NDF) in the monoculture of clover and vetch was on average about 11% lower than their intercropping patterns. The amount of ADF (acid detergent fiber) in monoculture of clover and vetch was 12.65% and 9.62% less than the intercropping patterns. The land equivalent ratio in all intercropping patterns of wheat with legume cover crops was more than one, indicating the advantage of intercropping patterns for land use and increasing the yield over monoculture. Calculating the aggressivity index showed that wheat was more dominate than legumes under different tillage systems.
Conclusion: The intercropping of wheat with leguminous plants improved the quality of wheat and increased the percentage of phosphorus, nitrogen and wheat grain protein. In general, the results of this research showed that the intercropping of wheat with clover and vetch under conservation tillage system improves the forage production and increase the productivity of the land.

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Main Subjects

References

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Journal of Crop Production
Volume 17, Issue 3
October 2024
Pages 86-108

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