Intercropping Benefits of Foxtail Millet (Setaria italica) with Mungbean (Vigna radiata) as Influenced by Application of Different Manure Levels

In this study، the effect of cropping systems and manure fertilizer application were examined on the growth، dry matter accumulation، and grain yield، in foxtail millet- mungbean intercropping. The experimental was performed on split plot with three amount of manure; 0، 15 and 30 t. ha-1 comprising the main treatments، and five combinations of millet and mungbean (sole millet، sole mungbean، 15% mungbean + 100% millet، 30% mungbean + 100% millet، 45% mungbean + 100% Millet) as sub-treatments that were applied with three replications. The experiment was conducted at the Zabol University Research Farm in Zabol، south Iran during 2010. The experimental results indicated that different amount of manures; cropping systems and interactions of them had a significant impact on grain yield، forage yield، and one-thousand grain weight of both crops. The greatest grain and forage yield of mungbean and millet were obtained with sole mungbean and 30% mungbean + 100% Millet، respectively together with application of 30 t. ha-1 manure. This was probably attributable to the positive effects of manure on soil chemical and physical properties as well better use of resources in mixture. Harvest index significantly influenced by the application of manure treatments in millet and by cropping systems in mungbean. Yield advantage in terms of land equivalent ratio (LER) for all the intercropping treatments was greater than unity. The 45% mungbean+100% millet cropping system exhibited the greatest absorption of PAR (Photsenthetically Active Radiation) in the canopy.