Effect of Intercropping and Farmyard Manure on the Growth, Yield and Protein Concentration of Corn, Bean and Bitter Vetch

In order to study the effect of intercropping and farmyard manure (FYM) on the growth characteristics, yield and crude protein concentrations of corn (Zea mays L.), bean (Vicia faba L.) and bitter vetch (Vicia ervilia L.), a factorial experiment was carried out on the basis of randomized complete blocks design with three replications at the Khalatpooshan Research Station, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Tabriz, during the 2010 growing season on field conditions. The factors were types of intercropping systems at levels of sole bean, bean+corn, sole bitter vetch, bitter vetch+corn, sole corn, and FYM at levels of 0, 30 and 60 tons per hectare. Application of FYM increased forage dry weight, crude protein concentration and stem height of corn, but had no effect on leaf number per plant. Intercropping of corn with bean and bitter vetch decreased stem height and forage dry weight of corn compared to the sole cropped corn. Intercropping of corn with bean and bitter vetch increased crude protein concentration of corn. The biological and grain yield of bean decreased by intercropping of corn with bean, but had no effect on number of seeds per pod and 100 grains weight. Intercropping of corn with bean increased crude protein concentration of bean seeds. Application of FYM increased biological and grain yield, number of seeds per pod, 100 grains weight and crude protein concentration of bean seeds. Intercropping of corn with bitter vetch decreased biological and grain yield, number of axillary shoot and number of seeds per plant of bitter vetch. FYM application and intercropping of corn with bitter vetch increased harvest index, number of pods per plant, 1000 grains weight and crude protein concentrations of bitter vetch shoot and seed. Land equivalent ratio (LER) was more than 1 in all intercropping systems, indicating the high relative efficiency of intercropping over the sole cropping. In general, the intercropping of corn with bean and application of FYM at the rate of 60 tons per hectare can be recommended for improving forage quantity and quality in the study area and similar conditions.