Abstract
Maize (Zea mays L.) and ricebean (Vigna umbellata [Thumb.] Ohwi and Ohashi) were grown in intercrop and monoculture on Tropaqualf soils under rainfed conditions in Northern Thailand yearly from 1983 to 1986. De Wit's replacement design was used to compare intercrops and monocultures with a constant plant density equivalent to 80 000 maize or 160 000 ricebean plants ha−1. Combined nitrogen was applied at varying levels to 200 kg N ha−1. In the final two seasons the intercrop ratio of maize: ricebean was also varied. At the time of maize maturity intercrops yielded upt 49 kg ha−1 more N in the above ground plant parts than the best monoculture. Dry matter, grain and nitrogen yield of maize and ricebean in intercrop relative to their monoculture yields (RY, relative yield) were significantly greater than their respective share of the plant population. Relative yield totals (RYT) for grain, dry matter and nitrogen were always greater than 1.
Nitrogen uptake per maize plant increased with progressive replacement of maize by ricebean plants. This increase was similar to that obtained by applying combined N. Available soil nitrogen tended to decrease with increasing maize:ricebean ratio. Increasing the maize:ricebean ratio increased the % of nitrogen derived from fixation in ricebean, the increase being equivalent to that obtained by decreasing combined nitrogen application. Approximately the same amount of fertilizer and soil nitrogen was taken up by maize plus ricebean in intercrop as the maize monoculture. The results suggest that the improved nitrogen economy of the intercrop resulted from the strong competitiveness of maize in the use of mineral nitrogen and the enhancement of nitrogen fixation in intercropped ricebean which made it less dependent on the depleted pool of soil nitrogen.
Article PDF
Similar content being viewed by others
Avoid common mistakes on your manuscript.
References
Agboola A A and Fayemi A A 1972 Fixation and excretion of nitrogen by tropical legumes. Agron. J 64, 409–412.
Bandyopadhyay S K and De R 1986 Nitrogen relationships and residual effects of intercropping sorghum with legumes. J. Agric. Sci. (Camb) 107, 629–632.
Bergersen F J 1980 Measurement of nitrogen fixation by direct means.In: Methods for Evaluating Biological Nitrogen Fixation. Ed. F J Bergersen, pp 65–110. A Wiley Interscience Publication.
Chulasai L, Rerkasem K, Kaosa-ard Shinawatra B and Rerkasem B 1985 Profile of Northern Thailand. Chiangmai University. Chiang Mai, Thailand, 124 p.
Eaglesham A R J, Ayanaba A, Ranga Rao V and Eskew D L 1981 Improving the nitrogen nutrition of maize by intercropping with cowpea. Soil Biol. Biochem. 13, 169–171.
Eaglesham A R J 1982 Assessing the nitrogen contribution of cowpea (Vigna unguiculata) in monoculture and intercropped.In Biological Nitrogen Fixation: Technology for Tropical Agriculture. Eds. P H Graham and S C Harris, pp 641–646.
Jansson S L and Persson J 1982 Mineralization and immobilization of soil nitrogen.In Nitrogen in Agricultural Soils. Agronomy No. 22 Ed. F J Stevenson, pp 229–252 ASA/CSSA/SSA, Madison.
Hall R L 1974 Analysis of the nature of interference between plants of different species. I. Concepts and extension of the de Wit analysis to examine effects. Aust. J. Agric. Res. 25, 739–747.
Harper J H 1977 Population Biology in Plants. Academic Press. 892 p.
Hiebsch C K and McCollum R E 1987 Area x time equivalency ratio: a method for evaluating the productivity of intercrops. Agron. J. 79, 15–22.
Nye P H and Greenland D J 1960 The soil under shifting cultivation. Tech. Comm. No. 51. CAB 156 p.
OAE 1986 Agricultural statistics of Thailand. Crop year 1985/86 Centre for Agricultural Economics, Office of Agricultural Economics, Ministry of Agricultural and Co-operatives, Thailand 1986, 285 p.
Ofori F and Stern W R 1987 Relative sowing time and density of component crops in a maize/cowpea intercrop system. Expl. Agric. 23, 41–52.
Ofori F, Pate J S and Stern W R 1987 Evaluation of N2 fixation and nitrogen economy of a maize/cowpea intercrop system using15N dilution methods. Plant and Soil 102, 149–160.
Osiru D S and Willey R W 1972 Studies on mixtures of dwarf sorghum and beans (Phaseolus vulgaris) with particular reference to plant population. J. Agric. Sci. (Camb) 79, 531–540.
Phetchawee S, Vibulsukh N, Theppoolpon M and Masarngsan W 1986 Long term effect of mulching with fertilization under cropping corn-legumes on crop yield and improvement of soil chemical-physical properties. Proc. Inter. Sem. on yield maximization of feed grains through soil and fertilizer management.
Purseglove J W 1974 Tropical Crops Dicotyledons John Wiley and Son, N.Y., 719 p.
Rerkasem B, Rerkasem K, Peoples M B, Herridge D F and Bergersen F J 1988 Evaluation of the contribution of symbiotic nitrogen fixation of ricebean (Vigna umbellata [Thumb.] Ohwi and Ohashi) to the nitrogen yield of maize/ricebean intercrop. Plant and Soil 108, 125–135.
Sanchez P A 1976 Properties and Management of Soils in the Tropics. John Wiley. 618 p.
Singh N B, Singh B B and Nair K P P 1986 Effect of legume intercropping on enrichment of soil nitrogen, bacterial activity and productivity of associated maize crops. Expl. Agric. 22, 339–344.
Spitter L T T 1980 Competition effects within mixed stands.In Opportunities for Increasing Crop Yields. Eds. R G Hurdet al. pp 219–231.
Trenbath B R 1976 Plant interactions in mixed crop communities.In Multiple Cropping. Special Pub. 27. Eds. R I Papendicket al. pp 129–170 American Society of Agronomy, Madison, Wis.
Trenbath B R 1986 Resource use by intercrops.In Multiple cropping systems. Ed. C A Francis, pp 57–81. Macmillan.
Valis I 1978 Nitrogen relationships in grass legume mixtures.In Plant Relations in Pastures. Ed. J R Wilson, pp. 190–201. CSIRO Melbourne, Australia.
Wahua T A T, Babalola O and Aken'ova M E 1981 Intercropping morphologically different types of maize with cowpeas: LER and growth attributes of associated cowpea. Expl. Agric. 17, 407–413.
Wahua T A T and Miller D A 1978 Effects of intercropping on soybean N2 fixation and plant composition on associated sorghum and soybeans. Agron. J. 70, 292–295.
Willey R W 1979 Intercropping — its importance and research needs. Part 1. Competition and yield advantages. Field Crops Abstra. 32, 1–10.
Wit C T de 1960 On competition. Versl. Landbouwkd. Onderz. (Agric. Res. Rep.) 66, 8, 1–82.
Wit C T de and van den Bergh J P 1965 Competition between herbage plants. Neth. J. Agric. Sci. 13, 212–221.
Wit C T de, Tow P G and Ennik G C 1966 Competition between legumes and grasses. Versl. Landbouwkd. Onderz. (Agric. Res. Rep.) 687, 1–30.
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Rerkasem, K., Rerkasem, B. Yields and nitrogen nutrition of intercropped maize and ricebean (Vigna umbellata [Thumb.] Ohwi and Ohashi). Plant Soil 108, 151–162 (1988). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02370110
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02370110