Effect of fym and N fertilizer on photosynthetic partitioing parameters, yield and yield attributes of maize-soybean intercropping

EG2013000174 Two field experiments were carried out at Menia Al-Kamh district- Sharkia province during two summer successive growing seasons i.e. 2009 and 2010 to study the effect of FYM (Without, 20 and 40 m. /fad) and nitrogen fertilizer levels (Without, 45, 90 and 135 kg N/fad) on photosynthetic partitioning parameters, yield and yield attributes of maize (Zea mays L.) -soybean (Glaycine max (L.) Merr.) intercroppers. Soybean variety Giza-22 was sown at 93,333 plants/fad in pure stand and intercropping whereas, maize variety TWC 324 was sown at 23,333 plants/fad as pure stand and intercropping (3:3) system. Maize was planted in intercropping culture on one side and two plants / hill (46,666 plants/fad) instead of one plant/hill in solid plots (23,333 plants/fad), simultaneously, soybean was always sown and thinned as two plants/hill, 10 cm apart on the two sides of the ridge in intercropping culture (186.666 plants/fad) instead of one side of the ridge in the solid plots. Intercropping system significantly reduced Photosynthetic partitioning parameters (such as, relative photosynthetic potential for grain yield/plant (RPP grains), for biological yield/plant (RPP bio) and migration coefficient (MC), but doubling LAI for maize and soybean components. Also, intercropping significantly reduced each of number of ears/plant, ear weight/plant, grain weight/plant, grain and biological yields (ton/fad) as well as HI and number of branches and pods/plant, seed weight/plant, pod yield (kg/fad), seed index as well as seed and biological yields (kg/fad.) of maize and soybean components compared to the pure stand, (combined analysis). FYM application up to 40 m. followed by increasing Photosynthetic partitioning parameters of maize and soybean components except LA, LAI and MC which responded to FYM up to 20 m. /fad for soybean component. Also, addition of FYM up to 40 m. /fad., significantly increased all yield and yield attributes of both components. Otherwise, seed index and HI of maize and biological yield of soybean were significantly increased due to applying FYM up to 20 m. /fad. While, HI of soybean was significantly decreased due to increment of FYM (combined analysis). Applying of N up to 135 kg N/fad significantly increased all aforementioned traits of maize and soybean components except HI of soybean which was decreased due to increments of N level (combined analysis).