Effect of intercropping patterns of chickpea and Dragon’s head (Lallemantia iberica Fish. et Mey.) on yield, yield components and morphological traits of Dragon’s head under different weed management

An experiment was conducted at the Research Farm of the Faculty of Agriculture, University of Tabriz, Iran in 2012 to study the effect of intercropping of chickpea and Dragon’s head on yield, yield components and morphological traits of Dragon’s head as affected by four weed management time. The experiment was laid out in RCB design with three replications. Intercropping patterns included; a1, a2, a3, a4, a5 and a6: respectively, pure stand of chickpea, pure stand of Dragon’s head, additive intercropping of optimal density of chickpea + 25%, 50%, 75% and 100% of optimum density of Dragon’s head. Four times of weeds control levels were; b1, b2, b3 and b4: complete control, no weeds control, control after 2-4 weeks after emergence, control after 5-7 weeks after emergence. Results showed that sole Dragon’s head produced the highest grain and biological yield. Among the intercropping systems, sole Dragon’s head recorded the highest mean number of lateral stem, number of capsule per main and lateral stem and plant height. Significant differences were observed in yield and yield components of Dragon’s head with increasing of weed population. Considering the experimental findings, sole cropping and complete weed control recommended for Dragon’s head grain yield.