Productivity and Land Use Efficiency of Maize Mungbean Intercropping under Different Fertility Treatments

A trial was carried out to assess the efficacy of maize + mungbean intercropping systems under different fertility treatments at National Agriculture Research Centre (NARC) Islamabad, Pakistan. Cropping systems were kept in vertical blocks and fertility treatments in horizontal blocks replicated thrice with RCBD strip block system. Sole mungbean and intercropped mungbean withmaize were treated with five fertility treatments (T1, control; Phosphorus and Potash (PK) (80-60kg ha^-1) + inoculation, T3, (120-80-60 NPK kg ha^-1); T4, poultry manure (PM) @ 15 t ha^-1 and half PM+ half PK+ inoculation, half poultry manure (7.5 t ha^-1) + half PK (40-30 kg ha^-1) + inoculation. According to statistical analysis, data revealed that plots treated with PK + inoculation with Rhizobium gave 33% higher mungbean seed yield over control. Similarly, higher values for yield contributing factors were also recorded in PK+ inoculation with Rhizobium. Partial land equivalent ratio (LER) of intercropped maize was 0.96 than respective sole crop. Maximum partial LER of mungbean (0.70) was recorded in intercropping systems. Total LER in maize + mungbean intercropping systems was 1.66 which indicates that 66 % more area would be required to attain same yield from respective sole cropping systems. Likewise, in fertility treatments total land equivalent ratio (1.78) was recorded in PK + inoculation treatment. It means that 78% more area would be required to achieve similar grain yield from control plots. Due to intercropping of legumes in maize and with application of poultry manure improved the organic matter and nutrients of soil.