Effect of Different Planting Patterns on Agronomic Characteristics of two Cultivars of Chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) in Intercropping with Dragon’s Head ( Lallemantia iberica)

The study was conducted to investigate the agronomic characteristics of two cultivars of chickpea in Intercropping with Dragon’s Head to determine the appropriate pattern of Intercropping. 

Here, the yield of two Chickpea cultivars in intercropping with Dragon’s head was evaluated. The research was conducted at the research station of the Faculty of Agriculture, University of Tabriz, Tabriz, Iran, in a randomized complete block design with three replications. Treatments included solid planting of Azad, Arman Chickpea, and Dragon’s head and also intercropping 40-80% ratio of Dragon’s head with the optimum density of Arman Chickpea and 40-80% ratio of Dragon’s head with the optimum density of Azad Chickpea. 

The results showed that in the treatment of Arman Chickpea solid planting biological yield, harvest index, grain yield, and 100-seed weight were the highest rate. In contrast, intercropping treatment of 80% ratio of Dragon’s head with optimum density of Azad Chickpea showed the lowest values. Land equality ratio was greater than 1 for all treatments except for intercropping treatments of 80% ratio Dragon’s head with optimum density of Azad Chickpea and Arman Chickpea. The highest and the lowest land equality ratio was observed in the intercropping treatment of 40% Dragon’s head with optimum density of Azad Chickpea and 80% Dragon’s head with optimum density of Azad Chickpea and Arman Chickpea, respectively. The highest relative value was observed in the intercropping treatment of 60% Dragon’s head with optimum density of Azad Chickpea and the lowest was observed in the intercropping treatment of 80% Dragon’s head with optimum density of Azad Chickpea. 

According to the results, intercropping of 40% Dragon’s head with the optimum density of Chickpea in both cultivars is the best intercropping treatment.