1Crop Intensification Research Department, Field Crops Research Institute, Agricultural Research Center, Egypt
2Food Legumes Research Department, Field Crops Research Institute, Agricultural Research Center, Egypt
*Corresponding Author: Tamer Ibrahim Abdel-Wahab, Crop Intensification Research Department, Field Crops Research Institute, Agricultural Research Center, Egypt, Email: twins00twins50@yahoo.com
Online published on 22 July, 2021.
Broomrape (Orobanche crenata Forsk.) is a major biotic stress of faba bean and affects the yield adversely. The impact of intercropping to curb the spread and progress of parasite was tested by using two faba bean cultivars under heavily soil infested conditions of broomrape. The present study was aimed to evaluate intercropping of fenugreek, flax, garlic or radish with two faba bean cultivars on broomrape incidence to increase faba bean yield, land usage and economic return in heavy soil infestation of broomrape.
This study was carried out at Giza Agricultural Research Station (Lat. 30° 00′ 30N, Long. 31° 12′ 43E, 26 m a.s.l), Agricultural Research Center, Giza, Egypt. During winter seasons of 2017/2018 and 2018/2019, fourteen the treatments were the combinations of two faba bean cultivars (Nubaria 1 and Nubaria 2) and four intercrops (fenugreek, flax, garlic and radish), as well as sole plantings of all the tested crops under heavily infestation of broomrape were tested in field conditions. A split-plot design with three replicates was used. Faba bean cultivars were assigned in the main plots and intercropping and sole plantings of faba bean were arranged in sub plots.
Results showed that Nubaria 2 had two mechanisms to broomrape offensive, mainly including cell wall build-up and stamping of vascular tissues. It also had higher soil oxalic and ascorbic acid concentrations than Nubaria 1. Sole Nubaria 1 rhizosphere had higher soil formic acid whereas, fenugreek + Nubaria 2 had higher soil oxalic, ascorbic and salicylic acids concentrations in faba bean rhizosphere. Lower number of spikes per m2 and their dry weight per m2 were obtained by radish + Nubaria 2 followed by flax + Nubaria 2. Radish + Nubaria 2 recorded higher land equivalent ratio and economic return followed by flax + Nubaria 2. Growing one row of radish or flax between two rows of Nubaria 2 in ridges 60 cm width could be an integrated control strategy to increase faba bean productivity, land usage and economic return under heavily soil infested with broomrape.
Broomrape infestation, Economic return, Faba bean cultivars, Intercropping, Land usage, Soil organic acids
