Inter-cropping with berseem clover (Trifolium alexandrinum) reduces infection by Orobanche crenata in legumes

Grain legume production in the Mediterranean area is threatened by the holoparasitic plant Orobanche crenata to which little resistance is available in affected crops. Berseem clover is a forage legume of economic importance in Eastern Mediterranean region and tropical areas. It has been suggested as a suitable trap crop for controlling O. crenata. In this work we propose its use as an inter-crop with grain legumes. We describe its allelopathic activity against germination of O. crenata seeds. Results are supported by three years of field experimentation in Egypt with a significant reduction of O. crenata infection on faba bean and pea inter-cropped with berseem clover. Mini-rhizotron experiments demonstrated the reduction of O. crenata infection on pea, lentil and chickling pea. (C) 2010 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.