Spring-sown intercrops of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) and field beans (Vicia faba L.) were grown on a sandy loam soil at University of Reading, UK. Wheat cultivar Axona, and bean cultivars, Scirocco and Maris Bead were grown as sole crops and additive intercrops at 50%, 75% and 100% recommended density (RD). In experiment 1 (1999), sown in March, LER for seed yield ranged from 1.12 to 1.18 at 75% RD with partial LER of 0.55 for beans and 0.63 for wheat. LER in experiments 2 and 3 ranged from 1.02 to 1.18 (2000) and from 0.84 to 1.22 (2001). Experiments 2 and 3 were May sown and beans performed less well in the intercrops with a partial LER of 0.28 compared to 0.90 for wheat (2000) and 0.32 compared to 0.89 (2001). Weeds were controlled with a pre- emergence application of pendimethalin (1999), rapid emergence prevented application (2000) and gave limited control (2001). Weeds were more predominant in sole beans. Supplementary irrigation in 2001 improved the growth of beans and the range of LER was 0.97 to 1.37. Seed yields of all treatments were higher in 1999 (553 and 315 gm-2 for sole wheat and beans) than in 2000 and 2001 (means of 264 and 113 gm-2 for sole wheat and beans). Maris Bead was more vigorous as a sole crop but similar to Scirocco in intercrops. 'Within each experiment, differences in bean yield were due to the number of pods m-2 with no difference in seed weight per pod but this was lower in experiments 2 and 3. The number of ears m-2 determined wheat yield differences in each experiment but grain weight per ear was lower in experiments 2 and 3. There were no consistent differences in radiation use efficiency between the sole crops or intercrops. IV.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:bl.uk/oai:ethos.bl.uk:558729 |
| Date | January 2011 |
| Creators | Barker, Sheila |
| Publisher | University of Reading |
| Source Sets | Ethos UK |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | Electronic Thesis or Dissertation |
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