Assessment of yield and yield components of corn (Zea mays L.) under two and three strip intercropping systems

Abstract

Intercropping can be described as the growing of two or more crops simultaneously on the same field. In order to investigate the effects of three spices (corn, soybean and sunflower) strip intercropping on yield and yield components of corn (Zea mays L.) a field experiment was carried out as randomized complete block design (RCB) with three replications in 2011. Results showed that the chlorophyll content of corn significantly affected by neighboring of soybean and sunflower. The maximum chlorophyll content of corn leaves was obtained at intercropping of corn-soybean, additive corn-soybean, corn-soybean-sunflower and corn-soybean-sunflower-soybean while, minimum chlorophyll content of this cultivar was showed at pure culture of corn. The effect of different intercropping on number of leaves, height of plant and diagonal of ear and biological yield of corn was not significant. The most ear length, number of rows in ear, number of grain in row, grain weight, grain yield and harvest index of corn were showed at intercropping of corn-soybean and corn-soybean-sunflower-soybean. The neighboring of sunflower by beside of corn significantly inhibited yield and yield component of this cultivar as the lowest yield of corn was obtained at intercropping of corn-sunflower.