N. M.A. Eissa , B. R.A. Rashwan* and Sh. H.F. Abozaed( 2017). INFLUENCES OF INTERCROPPING TWO LEGUME CROPS AND MINERAL NITROGEN FERTILZER ON WHEAT YIELD AND MICRO – ORGANISMS
ACTIVITY IN THE RHIZOPSPHERE SOIL
Bull. Fac .Agric., Cairo Univ.Vol. 68:No.1(January):59-77
Abstract: Two field trials were carried out at Mallawi Agric. Res. Sta. (Middle Egypt) during 2013/2014 and 2014/2015 seasons to evaluate the effect of different intercropping patterns of two legume crops with wheat under three mineral nitrogen (N) fertilizer levels on soil bacterial activity, yields of intercropped crops and its quality. A split plot design with three replications was used. Main plots were devoted for N fertilizer levels (60, 75 and 90 kg N fed-1). The intercropping patterns (100% wheat + 20% faba bean, 100% wheat + 30% faba bean, 100% wheat + 40% faba bean, 100% wheat + 20% fahl berseem, 100% wheat + 30% fahl berseem and 100% wheat + 40% fahl berseem) were allocated in sub - plots, in addition to sole cultures of wheat, fahl berseem and faba bean. Available soil content of NPK and organic matter , seed yield and its qualities of legume crops except fahl berseem were significantly increased by N levels application, intercropping patterns, and their interactions. The highest values of the studied traits were obtained with 90 kg N fed-1 × 100 % wheat + 40 % faba bean compared to the other treatments. Biological properties and wheat traits were significantly affected by mineral N fertilizer levels, intercropping patterns and their interaction. Increasing N fertilizer level from 60 to 75 kg N fed-1 increased all the previous traits, (P≤0.05). Meanwhile the least values of the biological soil properties and wheat traits, except spike length and 1000 - kernel weight were obtained by increasing N fertilizer level to 90 kg N fed-1 Land equivalent ratio values were greater than one, which indicate increasing the land productivity per unit area. The highest values were obtained by (1.33) under intercropping pattern 100% wheat + 20.0% faba bean that received 75 kg N fed-1 . Wheat crop was more competitive than fahl berseem or faba bean indicating the dominance of wheat on fahl berseem or faba bean. The highest net return was achieved by intercropping patterns 100% wheat + 20% faba bean or 100% wheat + 20% fahl berseem that received 75 kg N fed-1 increased net return of farmers by L.E. 2553 and 2488 per fad, respectively, over those of sole wheat. Application of 75 kg N fed-1 with the lowest number of plants of intercropped legumes achieved high quality of all the tested crops. Simple correlation was also studied the relationships between soil nitrogen and soil microbial content traits as well as, between spikes m -2 and its components traits
Keywords: (Intercropping, Wheat, Fahl berseem, Faba bean, Biological, Mineral N fertilizer levels, Soil content, Simple correlation , Quality, Net return)
