Relay Intercropping of Cotton with Wheat under Different Nitrogen Fertilizer Levels

THE CURRENT study was conducted at Sers El-Lian Research Station, Minufiya Governorate, Egypt, during 2009/10 and 2010/11 years to investigate the effect of three cropping patterns of relay cotton (Var. Giza 85) on wheat (Var. Sakha 93) as well as monoculture regarding growth, yield and its attributes . The study also targeted examination of five nitrogen levels and source. Competitive relationship parameters and economical input/ output variables for the entire field railing were justified too. The three tested intercropping patterns showed diverse traits between the two years of study (P 0.05) associated with interaction years and patterns main effect of the 90cmtraces pattern (P2) recorded significantly greater yields of both wheat and cotton traits than the other two cropping patterns . Effects of nitrogen levels showed insignificance difference between the treatment 70 kg mineral N + 500g cerialein, compared to the recommended dose of 75 kg mineral nitrogen. Interaction between planting patterns and nitrogen levels concluded exploiting P2 pattern and the treatment 70kg mineral N+500g cerialein. Land equivalent ratio(LER),relative crowding coefficient (RCC) and estimates averaged over cropping patterns and N-fertilizer treatments showed increasing the efficiency of land use by 76% and 82% in the first and second year, respectively. Moreover, the most benefit realized was associated with post plantation cotton intercropped with wheat expressed as monetary advantage index (MAI) of (5446.8 and 5537.7 LE) in the first and second season ,respectively. The total income was the highest when relay intercropping cotton were grown with cotton at 90 cm traces pattern P2 and using 75 kg mineral N/fed in both seasons, respectively . It could be concluded that relay intercropping of cotton with wheat as intensive cropping system is recommended to increase the productivity of the unit area.