Journal of Central European Agriculture (Dec 2006)
ASSESSING THE LAND EQUIVALENT RATIO (LER) OF TWO CORN [ZEA MAYS L.] VARIETIES INTERCROPPING AT VARIOUS NITROGEN LEVELS IN KARAJ, IRAN
Abstract
The experiment was carried out to study effect of two corn varieties intercropping combinations (75%SC704:25%SC604, 50%SC704:50%SC604, 25%SC704:75%SC604) on land use efficiency at various nitrogen levels (150, 200, and 250 kg ha-1) using the Land Equivalent Ratio (LER). Intercropping combinations had significant (p<0.01) effect on LER for grain and biological yield. Maximum LERs of 1.066 and 1.039 for grain and biological yield were attained by 50%SC704:50%SC604 intercropping combination indicates that the area planted to monocultures would need to be 6.6% and 3.9% greater than the area planted to the intercrop for the two to produce the same combined grain and biological yield, respectively. At all of nitrogen levels, 50%SC704:50%SC604 combination showed yield advantage (Total LER > 1.0) compared monoculture in equal land area. Nitrogen levels had no significant effect on LER for grain and biological yield. How ever, maximum LERs of 1.032% and 1.022% for grain and biological yield were attained by middle (200 kg ha-1) nitrogen level.
