Study the growth and yield of cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) and okra (Abelmoschus esculentus L.) in intercropping system

Subject Areas : Agroecology Journal

Rouhollah Naderi ¹ , abodlkarim kashi ² , morteza Samdaliri ³

1 - Member of Yong Researchers, Club in Islamic Azad University, Chalous Branch.
2 - Scientific Board, College of Agriculture,Tehran University.
3 - Scientific Board, Islamic Azad University, Chalous Branch.

Received: 2009-08-11 Accepted : 2010-05-03 Published : 2010-08-23

Keywords: Intercropping, land equivalent ratio, cucumber, Elements content, Okra,

Abstract :

In order to study the interaction effect of cucumber and okra in intercropping culture, an experiment was carried out in Nowshar in 2008. This experiment was done as a factorial experiment based on a randomized complete block design with four replications. Treatments were  planting patterns (sole cropping of okra or cucumber, okra was intercropped within cucumber rows, okra was intercropped between cucumber rows and okra was intercropped within and between cucumber rows), and planting distances (20, 30 and 40 cm inter-row spaces). In this experiment, yield and yield component, calcium, potassium, nitrogen and phosphor content and vegetative characteristics were measured. Results showed that in the cucumber plant, intercropping increased calcium content by 19%, potassium content by 12%, yield hectare-1 by 12%, and it reduced nitrogen content by 12%, number of branches per plant by 23% and leaf area by 15% compared to sol cropped cucumber. In okra plant, intercropping increased phosphor content by 3%, nitrogen content by16%, leaf area by41%, fresh weight of plant by 26% and it reduced calcium content by 8% compared to sol cropped okra.The interaction effects between planting patterns and planting density were significant for yield and yield components of cucumber but, it was significant only for yield of okra plant. The land equivalent ratios were all above 1.00, and the highest LER of 2.15 were obtained when okra was planted between and within cucumber rows at medium planting densities. The results of this experiment showed a kind of compatibility and conformity between cucumber and okra plants, may be due to their, physiological and botanical characteristics and favorite ecological factors that could cause an increased cucumber and okra plants yield.

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