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Integrating soil amendment biochar to legume‐based intercropping systems may amplify the intercropping benefits and lead to more sustainable production due to its positive effects on the soil physicochemical and biological environment. Fenugreek (Trigonella foenum‐graecum) is a legume used in an intercropping system in several countries in Southern Europe, the Middle East, and Asia. A barley cultivar and an Iranian fenugreek ecotype were studied in two replacement series experiments to find the best combination of the two species as well as the effect of adding biochar to the soil. Fenugreek and barley were grown in 4‐L pots in five density combinations (20:0, 15:5, 10:10, 5:15, 0:20) with and without application of biochar in sandy loam soil. The biomass, nitrogen (N) and carbon (C) amount of the two crops were measured fifty days after sowing, and the Relative Yield Total (RYT) was estimated. Our results showed that biochar application resulted in a higher total biomass, N and C amount in all combinations of fenugreek and barley. Total biomass was increased by biochar 19.2% when fenugreek was grown alone and 8.1 and 12.9% in series with 25 and 50% barley when biochar was added, respectively. Biochar increased dry matter, N and C accumulation in both crop species in the mixtures. An exception was the C amount of barley which was not influenced by biochar in intercropping. RYT values were largest for biomass, C and N amount in mixtures with 15 fenugreek plants per pot and 5 barley plants per pot corresponding to approximately 400 fenugreek plants per m mixed with 130 barley plants per m2. Biochar application increased RYT of the total dry weight by 2.7 and 5.5% in mixtures of 25 and 50% barley plants, RYT of the total nitrogen by 0.8% in mixtures with 25% barley plants, and RYT of the total carbon by 2.7 and 6.6% in mixtures with 25 and 50% barley plants. The RYT values declined with increasing number of barley plants as a result of a less competitive ability of fenugreek when growing in high barley densities. The yield was highest with intercropping but monoculture of barley also resulted in high yields. The total highest yield was found when approximately 130 fenugreek plants per m2 were mixed with 400 barley plants per m2. Mixtures with 75% fenugreek and 25% barley obtained RYT values larger than 1 for biomass, carbon and nitrogen percentages. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The objective of this research is to determine a suitable mixture of annual feed legumes and barley as a winter crop under dry-land conditions. Seeds of Hungarian vetch (cv. 2670), smooth vetch (cv. Maragheh), and local varieties of grass pea and field pea were mixed with barley (cv. Abidar) in a 1:1 ratio and were tested, along with related monoculture. All legumes in the mixture survived winter while legumes alone, except Hungarian vetch, did not survive in the cold areas. The maximum fresh and dry forage yields (56 and 15 ton ha-1 respectively) were obtained from a mixture of smooth vetch and barley in provinces with mild winter and more than 400 mm of rainfall. The mixture of barley and smooth vetch resulted in the highest mean crude protein content (17%). Autumn seeding of smooth vetch and barley in a 1:1 ratio produced more than 2 ton ha-1 of dry biomass with good quality in all studied areas and thus could serve as an alternative cropping system after wheat/barley in cold and semi-cold dry land.

The objective of this research is to determine a suitable mixture of annual feed legumes and barley as a winter crop under dry-land conditions. Seeds of Hungarian vetch (cv. 2670), smooth vetch (cv. Maragheh), and local varieties of grass pea and field pea were mixed with barley (cv. Abidar) in a 1:1 ratio and were tested, along with related monoculture. All legumes in the mixture survived winter while legumes alone, except Hungarian vetch, did not survive in the cold areas. The maximum fresh and dry forage yields (56 and 15 ton ha-1 respectively) were obtained from a mixture of smooth vetch and barley in provinces with mild winter and more than 400 mm of rainfall. The mixture of barley and smooth vetch resulted in the highest mean crude protein content (17%). Autumn seeding of smooth vetch and barley in a 1:1 ratio produced more than 2 ton ha-1 of dry biomass with good quality in all studied areas and thus could serve as an alternative cropping system after wheat/barley in cold and semicold dry land. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Three cereals viz. oats (Avena sativa L.), barley (Hordeum vulgare) and wheat (Triticum aestivum) were evaluated in pure stands as well as in mixtures of 50: 50 ratios with common vetch (Vicia sativa L.) under rainfed conditions of Pothowar to address the problem of nutritious green fodder for livestock. The experiment was sown during second week of October, 2007 in a randomized complete block design at Koont Research Farm, Pir Mehr Ali Shah-Arid Agriculture University, Rawalpindi, Pakistan. The results revealed that oatsvetch mixture performed better at all growth stages under rainfed conditions of Pothowar in terms of green and dry matter yields. By this mixture, 35.06 tons per hectare green fodder and 9.29 ton per hectare dry matter yield was obtained which was 17 and 19 percent higher than oats pure stand, respectively. Similarly, it was calculated that overall oats-vetch mixture yielded 63 and 78 percent higher dry matter than barley-vetch and wheat-vetch, respectively. So oats-vetch mixture can be recommended for higher biomass under rainfed conditions of Pothowar. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The market for organic malting barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) is growing. One goal of producing malting barley is to attain a defined protein content. This is challenging in organic farming because nutrient uptake is unpredictable. Since malting barley is quality sensitive to high amounts of available nitrogen (N) during the grain filling phase, artificial competition for N from a second crop within a mixed intercropping system could help to limit N uptake during these later growing stages. The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of intercropping on the brewing quality parameters of malting barley within the framework of organic farming. In a field trial, with two spring barley cultivars (Odilia, Marthe) as sole crops and in intercropping treatments of 4 intermediate mixing ratios with camelina (Camelina sativa), linseed (Linum usitatissimum) and pea (Pisum sativum), the effects on yield and malting quality were observed. The results from three growing seasons on a study site in north-western Germany showed an opposite protein response for mixtures with linseed and pea. However, sole stands of barley mostly performed as well as the mixtures. For mixtures with camelina, neither yield nor quality aspects were affected. Comparing the two cultivars, the well-established Marthe, from traditional conventional selection, showed the better overall performance with a 13% higher grain yield, a 3% higher hectoliter weight and 5% higher proportion of size fraction > 2.5 mm than Odilia, which was released later from an organic breeding program. However, the yield component analysis showed a consistent yield determination for Odilia regardless of intercropping partner or mixing ratios which might indicate its suitability in polycultures. The observed average land equivalent ratios (LER) of mixtures with linseed (1.04) and pea (1.13) showed the potential to increase land-use efficiency but were lower compared to the mean LER found in a recent meta-analysis. [Display omitted] • Two barley cultivars showed significantly different yield and quality performance. • Higher barley grain protein concentration with legume than with non-legume intercrop. • Two tested mixing ratios (75:75, 90:50) were not significantly different. • Smaller LERs observed than reported from global meta-analyses. • No influence of yield component composition for biodynamic barley cultivar. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The effect of interspecific complementary and competitive root interactions and rhizosphere effects on primarily phosphorus (P) and iron (Fe) but also nitrogen (N), potassium (K), calcium (Ca), zinc (Zn), and manganese (Mn) nutrition between mixed cropped peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.) and barley (Hordeum vulgare L.). In order to provide more physiological evidence on the mechanisms of interspecific facilitation, phosphatase activities in plant and rhizosphere, root ferric reducing capacity (FR), Fe-solubilizing activity (Fe-SA), and rhizosphere pH were determined. The results of the experiment revealed that biomass yield of peanut and barley was decreased by associated plant species as compared to their monoculture. Rhizosphere chemistry was strongly and differentially modified by the roots of peanut and barley and their mixed culture. In the mixed cropping of peanut/barley, intracellular alkaline and acid phosphatases (AlPase and APase), root secreted acid phosphatases (S-APase), acid phosphatases activity in rhizosphere (RS-APase), and bulk soil (BS-APase) were higher than that of monocultured barley. Regardless of plant species and cropping system, the rhizosphere pH was acidified and concomitantly to this available P and Fe concentrations in the rhizosphere were also increased. The secretion Fe-solubilizing activity (Fe-SA) and ferric reducing (FR) capacity of the roots were generally higher in mixed culture relative to that in monoculture treatments which may improve Fe and Zn nutrition of peanut. Furthermore, mixed cropping improved N and K nutrition of peanut plants, while Ca nutrition was negatively affected by mixed cropping. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

A glasshouse study was conducted to investigate the effects of interspecific complementary and competitive root interactions and rhizosphere effects on phosphorus (P) and iron (Fe) nutrition of mixed grown chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) and barley (Hordeum vulgare L.). In order to provide more physiological evidence on the mechanisms of interspecific facilitation, we determined phosphatase activities in plant and rhizosphere, and root ferric reducing capacity (FR), Fe-solubilizing activity (Fe-SA) and rhizosphere pH. The results of the experiment revealed that biomass yield of barley was significantly increased by associated chickpea as compared to monocultured barley, while mixed cropping caused a slight decreases in the biomass yield of chickpea. The rhizosphere was strongly acidified under chickpea and chickpea/barley mixed cropping and this acidification, in turn, increased the available P, Fe(II) and DTPA-Fe concentrations in the rhizosphere. Fe-solubilizing activity (Fe-SA) and ferric reducing (FR) capacity of the roots were higher in both species grown in mixed culture relative to their monoculture which may improve Fe nutrition of both species. Leaf acid phosphatase (APase, EC 3.1.3.2) activity was higher in both plants under mixed cropping that may improve P nutrition of barley by chickpea. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Mixed intercropping of barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) with faba bean (Vicia faba L.) was compared with sole cropping for three growing seasons (2001–2003) at Holetta Agricultural Research Centre, in the central highlands of Ethiopia. The treatments were sole barley (125kgha−1), sole faba bean (200kgha−1) and an additive series of 12.5, 25, 37.5, 50 and 62.5% of the sole seed rate of faba bean mixed with full barley seed rate. A randomised complete block design replicated four times was used. Mixed cropping and year effects were significant for seed and biomass yields of each crop species. Barley yield was reduced by mixed cropping only when the seed rate of faba bean exceeded 50kgha−1 or 25% of the sole seed rate. There was no mixed cropping by year interaction effect for barley grain yield but for faba bean seed yield. Total yield, barley yield equivalent, land equivalent ratio (LER) and system productivity index (SPI) of mixtures exceeded those of sole crops especially when faba bean seed rate in the mixture was increased to 75kgha−1 (37.5%) or more. The highest barley yield equivalent, SPI, crowding coefficient and LER were obtained when faba bean was mixed at a rate of 37.5% with full seed rate of barley. From this study, it is inferred that mixed intercropping of faba bean in normal barley culture at a density not less than 37.5% of the sole faba bean density may give better overall yield and income than sole culture of each crop species. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Poppy seed production is susceptible to abiotic and biotic stress and weed infestation, which introduces the risk of total crop failure. For the purpose of risk minimization, poppy was grown in additive intercropping systems with early and late sown white clover and spring barley sown at three different densities in a three year field trial to assess their roles in poppy cropping while adding ecological benefits to the crop rotation. Poppy yielded between 798.7 and 1293.1 kg ha−1, with no significant yield effects of intercropping with white clover, compared to poppy sole-cropping. Dry matter, height, leaf area index and C/N ratio of the poppy plants were not significantly impacted by the clover intercrop either, independent on its sowing date. Higher poppy yields (695.6–918.8 kg ha−1) and LERs (1.11–1.84) in the poppy–barley intercrop were achieved in 2018 and 2020 compared to 2019 (≤361.5 kg ha−1, LER ≤ 0.99), mainly due to differences in seeding dates, precipitation and nutrient availability. Therefore, previous seeding of poppy limits competition when intercropped with barley while white clover and poppy can be sown at the same time. The effect of barley seeding densities on the intercrop performance was small as was the influence of intercropping on weed cover, number and biomass. The weed regulating effect needs to be further examined, however, we conclude that intercropping of poppy is a promising strategy for its cultivation, in terms of minimizing the risk of total yield losses when precisely managed. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]