Maize based Intercropping Systems

Legumes in maize based cropping systems are considered to be better alternatives for securing nitrogen economy. They are either increasing or not reducing the yield of maize besides bonus legume yield. This leads to greater productivity of land per unit time and space and higher net return of intercropping system over monoculture. Light is one of the important growth factors influencing the yield of crops. Unlike other resources, light is instantaneously available and has to be instantaneously intercepted, if it is to be used for photosynthesis. In maize based intercropping system, decrease in interception of solar radiation from top of maize crop to top of legume intercrop was observed due to shading by maize canopy. But legumes used that radiation efficiently and produced some yield. It has been widely recognized in recent years that intercropping can often produce higher yields with greater efficiency of resources than sole crops.