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Intercropping
of corn with cowpea and bean: Biomass yield and silage
quality
Hakan Geren*, Riza Avcioglu, Hikmet
Soya, Behcet Kir
Ege University, Agriculture Faculty, Department of Field
Crops, 35100 Izmir, Turkey.
*Corresponding author. E-mail:
hakan.geren@ege.edu.tr.
Accepted 17 October, 2008 |
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An experiment was carried out at the Bornova experimental
fields of Field Crops Department of Agriculture Faculty.,
Ege Univ., Turkey during 2004-2005 growing season in order
to determine biomass yield and silage quality of corn (Zea
mays indendata) mixed with legumes such as various
cowpea (Vigna ungiuculata) and bean (Phaseolus
vulgaris) cultivars monocropped or intercropped in same
or alternate-rows. Results indicated that intercropping
system affected many characteristics such as plant height,
fresh biomass and dry matter (DM) yield, pH level and crude
protein (CP) content and yield of silage material.
Intercropped corn with legumes were far more effective than
monocrop corn to produce higher DM yield and roughage for
silage with better quality. Practicing alternate-row sowings
and benefiting from climbing types of legumes as component
crop had better performances than same-row sowings and dwarf
type legume.
Key words:
Intercropping, corn, cowpea, bean, biomass, silage quality. |
