Plant Soil Environ., 2022, 68(12):553-559

Grain yield and quality of wheat in wheat-legumes intercropping under organic and conventional growing systemsOriginal Paper

Petr Dvořák ORCID...1, Ivana Capouchová1, Martin Král1, Petr Konvalina2, Dagmar Janovská3, Matěj Satranský1
1 Department of Agroecology and Crop Production, Faculty of Agrobiology, Food and Natural Resources, Czech University of Life Sciences Prague, Prague, Czech Republic
2 Department of Agroecosystems, Faculty of Agriculture and Technology, University of South Bohemia in České Budějovice, České Budějovice, Czech Republic
3 Crop Research Institute Prague, Prague, Czech Republic

The effect of simultaneous intercropping of winter wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) with different legumes of faba bean (Vicia faba L.), pea (Pisum sativum L.), and purple clover (Trifolium incarnatum L.) on selected production and qualitative parameters of wheat was evaluated in field trials conducted both in organic and conventional cropping systems, in comparison with pure sown wheat. Wheat intercropped with legumes achieved higher grain yield compared to pure sown wheat for an average of two years. However, in organic cultivation, the positive effect of intercropping on wheat yields was more pronounced. In addition, a strong influence of the year was noted. In 2021, in the organic cropping system, the most yielding intercropped wheat (especially with pea and bean) achieved 114-117% higher yields compared to pure sown wheat (in the previous year of 2020, it was usually only about 102-106%). In the conventional cropping system, the effect of intercropping on wheat yield was significantly weaker, and in 2021, wheat intercropped with legumes reached even lower yields than pure sown wheat in some cases. In terms of sowing methods (both in organic and conventional cropping systems), mixed sowing with individual legumes significantly exceeded the yields of wheat grown with legumes in separate, alternating rows. As regards quality parameters, wheat intercropped with legumes reached in comparison with pure sown wheat usually had higher crude protein content in wheat grain dry matter and higher values of Zeleny sedimentation.

Keywords: available nitrogen; nutrient; competition; mixed cultures; method of sowing; weather conditions

Received: July 25, 2022; Accepted: November 15, 2022; Prepublished online: November 30, 2022; Published: December 30, 2022  Show citation

ACS AIP APA ASA Harvard Chicago Chicago Notes IEEE ISO690 MLA NLM Turabian Vancouver
Dvořák P, Capouchová I, Král M, Konvalina P, Janovská D, Satranský M. Grain yield and quality of wheat in wheat-legumes intercropping under organic and conventional growing systems. Plant Soil Environ. 2022;68(12):553-559.
Share...
Download citation
  • BibTeX (.bib)
  • Bookends (.ris)
  • EasyBib (.ris)
  • EndNote (.enw)
  • EndNote 8 (.xml)
  • ISI WoS (.isi)
  • Medlars (.medlars)
  • Mendeley (.ris)
  • MODS (.xml)
  • Papers (.ris)
  • RefWorks (.txt)
  • RefManager (.ris)
  • RIS (.ris)
  • MS Word (.xml)
  • Zotero (.ris)
    • Open full article

    References

    1. Amossé C., Jeuffroy M.-H., David Ch. (2013): Relay intercropping of legume cover crops in organic winter wheat: effects on performance and resource availability. Field Crops Research, 145: 78-87. Go to original source...
    2. Amossé C., Jeuffroy M.-H., Mary B., David Ch. (2014): Contribution of relay intercropping with legume cover crops on nitrogen dynamics in organic grain systems. Nutrient Cycling in Agroecosystems, 98: 1-14. Go to original source...
    3. Bedoussac L., Journet E.-P., Hauggard-Nielsen H., Naudin C., Corre-Hellou G., Jensen E.S., Prieur L., Justes E. (2015): Ecological principles underlying the increase of productivity achieved by cereal-grain legume intercrops in organic farming. A review. Agronomy for Sustainable Development, 35: 911-935. Go to original source...
    4. Bedoussac L., Justes E. (2010): Dynamic analysis of competition and complementarity for light and N use to understand the yield and the protein content of a durum wheat-winter pea intercrop. Plant and Soil, 330: 37-54. Go to original source...
    5. Bergkvist G. (2003): Effect of white clover and nitrogen availability on the grain yield of winter wheat in a three-season intercropping system. Acta Agriculturae Scandinavica, Section B - Soil and Plant Science, 53: 97-109. Go to original source...
    6. Bergkvist G., Stenberg M., Wetterlind J., Båth B., Elfstrand S. (2011): Clover cover crops under-sown in winter wheat increase yield of subsequent spring barely - effect of N dose and companion grass. Field Crops Research, 120: 292-298. Go to original source...
    7. Brooker R.W., Bennett A.E., Cong W.-F., Daniell T.J., George T.S., Hallett P.D., Hawes C., Iannetta P.P.M., Jones H.G., Karley A.J., Li L., McKenzie B.M., Pakeman R.J., Paterson E., Schöb C., Shen J.B., Squire G., Watson C.A., Zhang C.C., Zhang F.S., Zhang J.L., White P.J. (2015): Improving intercropping: a synthesis of research in agronomy, plant physiology and ecology. New Phytologist, 206: 107-117. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    8. Dhima K.V., Vasilakoglou I.B., Keco R.Xh., Dima A.K., Paschalidis K.A., Gatsis T.D. (2014): Forage yield and competition indices of faba bean intercropped with oat. Grass and Forage Science, 69: 376-383. Go to original source...
    9. Dong N., Tang M.M., Zhang W.P., Bao X.G., Wang Y., Christie P., Li L. (2018): Temporal differentiation of crop growth as one of the drivers of intercropping yield advantage. Scientific Reports, 8: 3110. Go to original source... Go to PubMed...
    10. Dordas C.A., Lithourgidis A.S. (2011): Growth, yield and nitrogen performance of faba bean intercrops with oat and triticale at varying seeding ratios. Grass and Forage Science, 66: 569-577. Go to original source...
    11. Ghaley B.B., Hauggard-Nielsen H., Høgh-Jensen H., Jensen E.S. (2005): Intercropping of wheat and pea as influenced by nitrogen fertilization. Nutrient Cycling in Agroecosystems, 73: 201-212. Go to original source...
    12. Gooding M.J., Kasyanova E., Ruske R., Hauggard-Nielsen H., Jensen E.S., Dahlmann C., von Fragstein P., Dibet A., Corre-Hellou G., Crozat Y., Pristeri A., Romeo M., Monti M., Launay M. (2007): Intercropping with pulses to concentrate nitrogen and sulphur in wheat. Journal of Agricultural Science, 145: 469-479. Go to original source...
    13. Ehrmann J., Ritz K. (2014): Plant: soil interactions in temperate multi-cropping production systems. Plant and Soil, 376: 1-29. Go to original source...
    14. Hauggard-Nielsen H., Ambus P., Jensen E.S. (2001): Interspecific competition, N use and interference with weeds in pea-barley intercropping. Field Crops Research, 70: 101-109. Go to original source...
    15. Kamalongo D.M.A., Cannon N.D. (2020): Advantages of bi-cropping field beans (Vicia faba) and wheat (Triticum aestivum) on cereal forage yield and quality. Biological Agriculture and Horticulture, 36: 213-229. Go to original source...
    16. Kintl A., Elbl J., Záhora J., Kynický J., Brtnický M., Mikajlo I. (2015): Evaluation of grain yield in mixed legume-cereal cropping systems. AD ALTA: Journal of Interdisciplinary Research, 5.1: 96-98.
    17. Knudsen M.T., Hauggard-Nielsen H., Jornsgard B., Jensen E.S. (2004): Comparison of interspecific competition and N use in pea-barley, faba bean-barley and lupin-barley intercrops grown at two temperate locations. Journal of Agricultural Science, 142: 617-627. Go to original source...
    18. Mysliwiec M., Wanic M., Michalska M. (2014): Response of spring wheat to the growth with undersown of persian clover under controlled conditions. Acta Scientiarum Polonorum, Agricultura, 13: 29-44.
    19. Neugschwandtner R.W., Kaul H.-P., Moitzi G., Klimek-Kopyra A., Loąák T., Wagentristl H. (2021): A low nitrogen fertiliser rate in oat-pea intercrops does not impair N2 fixation. Acta Agriculturae Scandinavica, Section B - Soil and Plant Science, 71: 182-190. Go to original source...
    20. Lithourgidis A.S., Dordas C.A. (2010): Forage yield, growth rate, and nitrogen uptake of faba bean intercrops with wheat, barley, and rye in three seeding ratios. Crop Science, 50: 2148-2158. Go to original source...
    21. Lithourgidis A.S., Vlachostergios D.N., Dordas C.A., Damalas C.A. (2011): Dry matter yield, nitrogen content and competition in pea-cereal intercropping systems. European Journal of Agronomy, 34: 287-294. Go to original source...
    22. Pelzer E., Bazot M., Makowski D., Corre-Hellou G., Naudin C., Al Rifai M., Baranger E., Bedoussac L., Biarnes V., Boucheny P., Carrouée B., Dorvillez D., Foissy D., Gaillard B., Guichard L., Mansard M.-C., Omon B., Prieur L., Yvergniaux M., Justes E., Jeuffroy M.H. (2012): Pea-wheat intercrops in low input conditions combine high economic performances and low environmental impacts. European Journal of Agronomy, 40: 39-53. Go to original source...
    23. Vandermeer J.H. (2012): The Ecology of Intercropping. Cambridge, Cambridge University Press. ISBN: 9780511623523
    24. Vlachostergios D.N., Lithourgidis A.S., Dordas C.A. (2018): Agronomic, forage quality and economic advantages of red pea (Lathyrus cicera L.) intercropping with wheat and oat under low-input farming. Grass and Forage Sciences, 73: 777-788. Go to original source...
    25. Vrignon-Brenas S., Celette F., Piquet-Pissaloux A., Corre-Hellou G., David Ch. (2018): Intercropping strategies of white clover with organic wheat to improve the trade-off between wheat yield, protein content and the provision of ecological services by white clover. Field Crops Research, 224: 160-169. Go to original source...

    This is an open access article distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International (CC BY NC 4.0), which permits non-comercial use, distribution, and reproduction in any medium, provided the original publication is properly cited. No use, distribution or reproduction is permitted which does not comply with these terms.


    Return to the content