EFFECT OF PLANTING CONFIGURATIONS ON YIELD AND YIELD COMPONENTS IN MAIZE + SOYBEAN AND MAIZE + BUSHBEAN INTERCROPPING SYSTEM

Das AK, Khaliq QA, Haider ML (2013) Effect of planting configurations on yield and yield components in maize + soybean and maize + bushbean intercropping system. Int. J. Expt. Agric. 3(1), 38-45. This intercropping experiment was planned under the concept of cereal + legume intercropping system to find out the effect of intercropping on the yields and yield parameters of the component crops under maize + soybean and maize + bushbean intercropping system at different planting configurations. During the experiment the data on yield parameters of the component crops were recorded under sole cropping and intercropped conditions. Yield and yield components were significantly influenced by the crop combination and planting configurations. Intercropping reduced the yield in component crops. The highest yields were obtained in sole crops compared to those in intercrops. In maize the highest plant height (210.66cm), longest cob (21.15 cm) and highest grain yield (7.03 t ha -1 ) was recorded in sole cropping maize. Variation in grains cob -1 and 1000- seed was found insignificant. Maize equivalent yield was the highest (8.26 t ha -1 ) in maize-bushbean intercropping at single row arrangement of maize. Plant height in soybean and bushbean was increased by intercropping with maize. Pods plant -1 , seeds pod -1 , pod length in soybean and bushbean were significantly reduced under intercropping condition. But intercropping increased the seed size in soybean and bushbean. The 100- seeds weight in soybean was the highest (14.50 g) in maize + soybean intercropping at paired row arrangement of maize. In bushbean it was the highest (19.13 g) in maize + bushbean intercropping at single row arrangement.