Reaction of the Green Bean- Safflower Intercropping Patterns to Different Nitrogen Fertilizer Levels

In order to investigate the effects of nitrogen fertilizer levels and intercropping ratios on yield and other morphological traits of two crops, field experiments were conducted during two years (۲۰۱۰-۲۰۱۱) in the research field of the school of Agriculture, Shiraz University, Shiraz, Iran. The study was carried out in a factorial experiment laid out based on a completely randomized block design (RCBD) with three replications where the factors were intercropping in seven different ratios of green bean (B) and safflower (S) (including green bean sole cropping, safflower sole cropping, intercropping of green bean/safflower with ۱/۱, ۱/۳, ۲/۳, ۳/۱ and ۳/۲ proportions) and nitrogen fertilizer rates (۰, ۷۵ and ۱۵۰ kg per ha). Overall results indicated that different intercropping systems and N-fertilizer levels significantly affected the yield and other traits measured in both green bean and safflower. Optimal treatments in terms of economic importance for the farmers were intercropping B۲S۳ or B۳S۲ with ۷۵ kg N/ha for safflower and B۲S۳ or B۳S۱ intercropping ratios under any or ۷۵ kg N per ha for green bean (۱۷.۸۲g/plant) and the highest total LER (۳.۱). In order to obtain the highest total product amount, which is of prime importance to the farmers, B۲S۳ intercropping with no N-fertilizer application is recommended. Based on the results of this study, green bean and safflower are compatible and profitable crops and can be recommended to farmers for intercropping.

Keywords:

Green bean , Intercropping systems , Nitrogen fertilizer , Safflower