Weed control efficiency of intercropping legumes in maize.

An experiment entitled “Weed control efficiency of intercropping legume in maize” was conducted at New Developmental Farm, Agricultural University Peshawar during Kharif 2009. The experiment was laid out in randomized complete block design with three replications comprising of 13 different treatments viz; Maize+1 row and with 2 rows of soybean simultaneously seeded, Maize+1 row of soybean delayed seeding by 3 weeks, Maize+ 2 rows of soybean delayed seeding by 3 weeks, Maize+1 row of mungbean and, Maize+2 rows of mungbean simultaneously seeded and Maize+1 row of mungbean delayed seeding by 3 weeks, Maize+ 2 rows of mungbean delayed seeding by 3 weeks. Remaining five treatments were three control treatments (sole maize) viz; an unweeded, a hand weeded and one with herbicide use for weed control, along with sole treatments of mungbean and soybean each. Our findings showed that weed density m -2 and biological yield of maize were significantly affected by intercropping of both mungbean and soybean seeded in one-one and two-two rows simultaneously seeded and delayed seeded by three weeks. In case of legume crops pods plant -1 and biological yield of mungbean as well as soybean were significantly affected by maize intercropping with mungbean and soybean seeded in one-one and two-two rows simultaneously and delayed seeded by three weeks. Weeds density m -2 was significantly reduced by hand weeding and maize-mungbean simultaneous seeding in two rows as compared to weedy check and sole maize with herbicide use. In case of maize, maximum biological yield was recorded in hand weeded plots, followed by maize intercropped with 1 row of soybean seeded 3 weeks later. Higher number of pods plant -1 were recorded in plots where sole mungbean was sown, followed by plots where maize was intercropped with one row of mungbean simultaneously seeded. Greater biological yield of mungbean was produced by sole mungbean treatments followed by plots where maize was intercropped with one row of mungbean seeded simultaneously. Higher number of pods plant -1 was observed when soybean was grown alone. It was concluded that maize intercropping with mungbean and soybean is useful for efficient land use without affecting maize yield and also providing additional yield of mungbean. Thus intercropping of legumes in maize should be encouraged in the maize growing belt under agroclimatic condition of Peshawar.