The Effect of Density on Onion Yield in Mono-Cropping and Intercropping with Fenugreek

In order to investigate the of effect intercropping on yield and yield components of onion (Allium cepa L.)  and fenugreek (Trigonella foenum-graecum L.), a  factorial experiment was carried out based on completely randomized block design with three replications at the research field located in south of Kerman, Iran. The first factor was onion density (20- 25 and 30 plant.m-2) and the second factor was fenugreek plant density (12- 15 and 25 plant.m-2) and sole culture of plants with aforementioned densities were considered. After harvesting the number leaves and length of plants, fresh and dry weight, bulb diameter, fresh and dry weight of bulb, Land Equivalent Ratio (LER) and Relative Value Total (RVT) was measured. The results showed that the highest yield of onion (43.2 t.h-1) was obtained from 20 plant m-2. In intercropping treatment number of leaves, plant length, bulb fresh and dry weight was increased by decreasing plant density from 20 to 30 plant m-2. The  highest fresh and dry weigh of onion bulb (167.2 and 11.64 g) was  produced in 20  plant.m-2. Number leaf and length of the plant and fresh and dry weigh of onion was increased in intercropping. However intercropping fenugreek with onion had no significant effect on its yield in comparison with mono culture. The highest Land Equivalent Ratio (LER) (1.65) and Relative Value Total (RVT) (1.72 (was recorded  in 30 plant.m-2 onion and 12 plant.m-2 fenugreek and 30 plant.m-2 onion and 25 plant.m-2 fenugreek combination culture respectively

Effects of Additive Intercropping on Mineral Uptake of Onion and Fenugreek at Different Densities

Increasing world population demands for food, limited natural resources have created the risk of food security for current and future generations. Intercropping is regarded as an effective strategy in sustainable agriculture. Therefore, current study was carried out to evaluate the nutrient uptake of onion and fenugreek intercropping system during two growing season of (2015-2016 and 2016-2017) at a research field in Kerman, Iran. Two factorial experiments based on completely random blocks design with three replications were carried out. The treatments in this study were including: onion densities as the first factor (30, 25 and 20 plants m-2) and fenugreek densities as the second factor at three levels of 25, 15 and 12 plants m-2 with sole cropping of two species at these densities. Results showed that in the both ofyears, mineral concentration and uptake (N, P and K) of onion leaf and bulb and fenugreek in intercropping increased in comparison with mono cropping for two species. In both years, the highest and lowest nutrient content of onion was observed in the densities of 30 and 20 plant m-2. In general, it can be said that intercropping systems have some positive effects on nutrient content and uptake of onion

Effect of chemical fertilizers and bio-fertilizers application on some morpho-physiological characteristics of forage sorghum

Abstract To evaluate effect of chemical and biological fertilizers on growth of the forage sorghum, a factorial experiment was arranged as factorial, based on randomized complete block design with three replications at the research farm of the faculty of agriculture, university of Tabriz, Iran in 2011. Treatments were chemical fertilizers levels (210 Kg/ha urea (100%), 150 Kg/ha triple superphosphate (100%), urea (100%) + triple superphosphate (S.P.T, 100%), urea 50% + S.P.T. 50% and control) and bio-fertilizers (biosuper, phosphate barvar-2, biosuper + phosphate Barvar-2 and control). Results indicated that the highest (3090.99 g.m2) and the lowest (1226/29 g.m2) forage yield and plant height were obtained from "urea (100%) + S.P.T. (100%) + phosphate Barvar-2" and "control", respectively. The highest and lowest of leaf area index (LAI) were achieved in "urea (100%) + S.P.T. (100%) + biosuper + phosphate Barvar-2" and "control "respectively. Chemical and bio-fertilizers had significant effects on Natural Detergent Fiber (NDF), as the control and treatment of "50% urea + 50% S.P.T. + phosphate Barvar-2" produced higher and lower NDF than other treatments respectively. Also the most gas production was observed in "50% urea + 50% S.P.T. + biosuper + phosphate Barvar-2". In conclusion, application of 100% chemical fertilizer with bio-fertilizers resulted the maximum of quantitative values such as forage yield, and the reduced doses of chemical fertilizer (50%) with bio-fertilizers had more positive effects on qualitative traits such as NDF

Effects of water deficit and nitrogen levels on grain yield and oil and protein contents of maize

This research was conducted in 2014, to evaluate the effects of water deficit and nitrogen fertilizer on grain yield, oil and protein contents of maize (cv. double Cross 303). The experiment was arranged as split-plot based on Randomized Complete Block design (RCB) with three replications. Irrigation treatments (irrigation after 60, 90, 120 and 150 mm evaporation) and nitrogen levels (0, 46 and 92 kg N/ha) were located in the main and sub plots, respectively. Mean grain yield per unit area decreased with decreasing water availability, but it was improved with increasing nitrogen fertilizer. Grain oil percentage significantly decreased, but protein percentage slightly increased as a result of water deficit. In general, oil and protein yields significantly decreased under moderate and severe water stress, mainly because of decreasing grain yield under these conditions. Nitrogen application decreased oil percentage, but increased protein percentage significantly. Nevertheless, nitrogen fertilizer enhanced oil and protein yields per unit area, with no significant difference between nitrogen rates. These results were positively related with grain yield per unit area in maize