Increasing value of corn silage in corn-triticale system by intercropping with forage soybean

Abstract

Intercropping is an old and commonly used agricultural practice of cultivating two or more crops in the same space at the same time. Double cropping is when two crops are planted sequentially in one year. Double cropping corn–triticale rotation for silage is a common practice in the Columbia Basin and in the Treasure Valley of Idaho and Oregon as it increases the amount of feed that can be grown for dairy cows. Double cropping provides protection of the soil from wind and water erosion during the winter months and additional organic matter to the soil via root degradation. Double cropping will also enhance intercropping of corn and soybean as the later planting will increase soybean competition in the intercrop mixture with corn. The most common advantage of intercropping is the greater yield on a given piece of land by making efficient use of the available resources. Moreover, intercropping with legumes improves soil fertility through biological nitrogen fixation, increases soil conservation, and provides better lodging resistance for crops susceptible to lodging. Intercropping provides financial stability, especially during extreme weather conditions such as drought, and makes the system particularly suitable for labor-intensive small farms. In addition, intercropping minimizes agriculture’s environmental influences and reduces fertilizer and pesticide application requirements. However, there are some disadvantages with intercropping, such as the selection of the appropriate crop species, sowing densities, crop management, and harvest