Intercropping Sorghum and Pinto Bean in a Cool Semiarid Region
1992
Carr, P.M. | Schatz, B.G. | Gardner, J.C. | Zwinger, S.F.
Intercropping corn (Zea mays L.) with soybean [Glycine max (L.)Merr.] has been found to yield a greater harvest of total grain protein than a sole crop of corn in northern temperate regions. Similarty, it may be possible to increase the total grain protein yield in regions of lower precipitation with an intercrop of grain sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench] and a pulse crop. Our objective was to determine if sorghum could successfully be intercropped with dry bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) to produce a grain for feed. A field experiment was conducted during 1989 and 1990 near Carrington, ND (45°30'N, 99°7'W). Sorghum was established at 16 plants m⁻² as a sole crop and intercropped in the same row with pinto bean at three different sorghum to bean plant ratios: 81, 4:1, and 21. Grain yield of sorghum was not reduced by intercropping at the low (81) and moderate (41) bean plant densities, but yield was reduced (P < 0.05) at a sorghum:pinto bean plant ratio of 2:l. Yield of pinto bean ranged hmm 0.22 to 0.70 Mg ha⁻¹, depending on population and annual growing conditions. Grain protein yield tended to increase as bean comprised more of the total plant population, although a significant difference between treatments was not detected. While this investigation demonstrates that sorghum can successfully be intercropped with dry bean, other sorghum-pulse intercrops might be more advantageous in increasing the total yield of grain protein. Contribution no. 2017 from the North Dakota Agric. Exp. Stn.
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