Premium
Intercropping irrigated corn with two soybean maturity groups at different planting rates for forage
Author(s) -
Norberg O. Steven,
Llewellyn Donald A.,
Fransen Steven C.,
R. Kesoju Sandya
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
crop, forage and turfgrass management
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.29
H-Index - 10
ISSN - 2374-3832
DOI - 10.1002/cft2.20074
Subject(s) - intercropping , agronomy , sowing , dry matter , forage , mathematics , biology
Increasing silage production and quality is paramount for dairy and beef feedlot production. We aimed to (a) increase dry matter, protein production, and profit per acre of corn ( Zea mays L.) by intercropping it with soybean [ Glycine max (L.) Merr.]; (b) compare soybean maturity groups (MGs) intercropped or grown as the sole crop; and (c) quantify the soybean planting rate's influence on land equivalent ratios (LER), total dry matter yield, nutrient concentration and economic return per acre in corn–soybean intercropping systems. A 2‐yr field study was conducted with two soybean MGs (MG1 and MG7) and four soybean planting rates: 0 (control), 38,000 (1×), 76,000 (2×), and 152,000 (4×) seeds acre −1 . Intercropping with MG7 increased soybean dry weight by 33% compared with MG1. The MG7 4× rate in 2012 and the 1× and 2× rates in 2013 maximized yield and LER when forage contained 7 to 10% soybean. Averaged over years, the MG7 soybean planting rate had a significant quadratic influence on nutrient value, peaking at the 2× rate at $23 ton –1 more than monoculture corn. Intercropping with the 2× MG7 soybean increased the net economic return per acre on a nutrient value basis by $238 acre −1 . The soybean concentration in the mix that produced the highest total dry matter yield 5 and 7% and 7 and 10% for gross economic return per acre in 2012 and 2013, respectively. On a tonnage only basis, intercropping 2× MG7 soybean increased yield and produced $26 acre −1 more profit than monoculture corn.