Study on different densities of cumin and chickpea intercropping with emphasis on weed control

Abstract

In order to study the effect of different densities of intercropping cumin and chickpea, an experiment was conducted in the farm of Agriculture College of Mashhad. This experiment was conducted as a strip design based on RCBD with four replications. Main plots included weed control treatments (I- one time control in growing season on emergence stage. II- without control) and subplots included 5 different densities (I- 120 pl/m2 cumin. II- 90 pl/m2 cumin + 15 pl/m2 chickpea. III- 60 pl/m2 cumin + 30 pl/m2 chickpea. IV- 30 pl/m2 cumin + 45 pl/m2 chickpea. V- 60 pl/m2 chickpea.). The results showed a significant difference in all growth indices in all one time weed control and without weed control treatments. As the densities decreased, both crop's growth indices decreased. The decrease of chickpea yield in all densities in both weed control treatments, showed significant difference. Crop growth rate (CGR) and leaf area index (LAI) in cumin despite of chickea has affected positively by intercropping. Total land equivalent ratio (LER) in all treatments was more than one and partial LER only in 90 pl/m2 was more than one that shows the positive effect of intercropping on cumin yield.