The effect of sowing method on the yield of grasspea (Lathyrus sativus) cultivated in an organic system

Abstract

The field experiment was conducted to evaluate how intercropping of the lentil with barley Hordeum vulgare or oats (Avena sativa L.) as a supporting plant impacts the yield of grasspea (Lathyrus sativus) in an organic system. The height of the plants, the height to the first and last pod, the number of pods and seeds on the plant, the weight of seeds on the plant, the air dry weight of the stem of one plant and the weight of the pods, the number and weight of grain per cereal plant, weight of one thousand grains, plant height and number of production shoots were also determined. The field experiment was conducted at the Agricultural Experimental Station in Grabów belonging to the Institute of Soil Science and Plant Cultivation in Puławy. The experimental factors were as follows: (A) the grasspea cultivar (cv.): Derek and Krab; (B) cropping method: sole cropping (without a supporting crop), row intercropping with a supporting crop – barley (cv. Ella) and oat (cv. Bingo). The grasspea seed yield obtained in the treatments with a supporting crops was higher by 11.4% compared with the sole cropped plots. The yield of both grasspea cultivars grown in pure stand and in mixed with cereals, was similar. Seed yield percentage of cv. ‘Derek’ grown with supporting crops was lower than that of cv. ‘Krab’. Higher 1000 seed weight, number of pods, seeds and weight per plant were recorded for both cultivars grown in pure sowing than with supporting crops. Moreover, cv. ‘Krab’ characterized more favorable structure elements affecting yielding than cv. ‘Derek’.