Vol. 11, Issue 9 (2022)

Author(s):
Nazim Hamid Mir, Bashir Ahmad Alie, Mohammad Anwar Bhat, Amir Hassan Mir, Fehim Jeelani and Mohammad Anwar Khan

Abstract:
Field experiments were conducted for two successive years (2020 and 2021) to evaluate the growth and yield parameters with zinc fortification in maize + legume intercropping systems. The treatments comprised of five cropping systems and three zinc levels. The results of two year field experiments indicated that maize + soybean intercropping recorded higher plant height (257.85 cm and 263.81 cm), leaf area index and leaf stem ratio of maize at harvesting as compared to other maize based systems. However sole maize recorded highest dry matter accumulation (116.11 and 122.67 q ha^-1) in 2020 and 2021, respectively, as compared to maize + legume systems. Among the legumes, sole soybean recorded higher plant height and dry matter accumulation as compared to sole cowpea and intercropped legumes. Application of zinc significantly improved growth parameters and dry matter accumulation in all the cropping systems.