The effect of row proportion of maize and soybean intercropping on growth and yield of component crops in sandy soil North Lombok, Indonesia

Abstract

This study aimed to determine nutrient status, mycorrhiza population, and yields of maize-soybean strip intercropping in sandy soil environments of North Lombok, Indonesia. The experiment designed with Randomized Block Design with three blocks and five treatments, i.e., P1 (2 rows of maize: 2 rows of soybean), P2 (3 rows of maize: 2 rows of soybean), P3 (3 rows of maize: 3 rows of soybean), P4 (4 rows of maize: 2 rows of soybean), P5 (4 rows of maize: 3 rows of soybean). The results show that an increase of one more row from 3 to 4 rows significantly decreases the weight of maize cobs (3.5-folds), pods (2.3-folds), and 1000 seeds (1-folds). One row of maize plant density, which was beginning three rows to 4 rows, causes a decrease in the weight of dry root biomass and shoot of maize and soybean plants. The root weight and dried shoots of maize fell to 3.5 and 4.5 times, and the weight of dried roots of soybeans fell to 1.41 times at the age of 92 days after observing the 4:3 ratio of maize and soybean plants.