Wheat and chickpea intercropping systems in an additive series experiment: Advantages and weed smothering

For increasing land use efficiency and weed suppression intercropping plays a pivotal role. A field experiment was carried out on wheat (Triticum aestivitin L. emend. Fiofi and Paol)-chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) mono- and intercropping with various weeding (0, 1, or 2 hand-weeding operations) and row spacing (20- or 30-cm) treatments in the eastern plateau region of India over consecutive five winter seasons (1997/2001). The experimental design was a randomized complete block with eighteen treatments replicated thrice. Significant (P < 0.05) differences were observed in yield and economics with and without weeding treatments. Chickpea yield was significantly reduced by wheat when intercropped. However, total productivity and land use efficiency were higher under the intercropping system as compared to monocrops of either species. There was a significant reduction in weed density and biomass for the intercropping system over both monocrops. Wheat facilitated an increase in nodule number and dry weight in chickpea under intercropping over monocrops, moreover, root length of chickpea was greater when intercropped. These findings suggest that intercropping wheat and chickpea increase total productivity per unit area, improve land use efficiency and suppress weeds, a menacing pest in crop production. Considering the experimental findings, wheat-chickpea (30 cm) with two weedings may be recommended for yield advantage, higher net income, more efficient utilization of resources, and weed suppression as a biological control in eastern plateau region of India. (c) 2006 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.