Evaluation of Maize - Mungbean Intercropping Systems at Different Sowing Dates for Forage Production

TWO FIELD trials were conducted in 2006 and 2007 summer seasons at the Agricultural Experimental Station of the National Research Centre, Shalakan, Kalubia Governorate, Egypt, to evaluate forage and protein yields from maize intercropped with mungbean at different sowing dates and intercropping systems. Maize (Zea mays L.) cv. Giza-2 was intercropped with mungbean (Vigna radiata L. Wilczek) cv. Kawmy-1 at 4:2, 2:2 and 2:4 (maize: mungbean) alternating rows. Sowing date treatments were: 1) Sowing maize two weeks earlier before mungbean or 2) Two weeks later than mungbean and 3) Simultaneous sowing of both intercrops. Fresh, dry forage and protein yields as well as land use efficiency were determined. The results showed that there were significant differences among sowing dates and intercropping patterns for both crops in plant height, stem diameter and leaf/stem ratio. When maize was sown two weeks earlier than mungbean it shows taller, thicker and greater leaf /stem ratio than other treatments. Fresh and dry weights as well as protein yields were significantly increased when mungbean was sown two weeks earlier with 4:2 (maize: mungbean) intercropping system. Land equivalent ratio (LER) values indicated that dry forage yield increases with 11, 25 and 32 % of the total intercropped maize + mungbean yields were attained when maize was planted two weeks earlier, simultaneously and two weeks later than mungbean, respectively. In general, growing mungbean earlier than maize gave the best values of land use efficiency ranging between 2-14%. It can be concluded that sowing mungbean two weeks earlier with 4:2 (maize: mungbean) intercropping system is favored and gives the best forage and protein yields