Herbicide-free weed management in kharif maize (Zea mays L.) intercropping Systems: Advancing environmental sustainability, productivity, and economic efficiency
Article Main
Abstract
Maize (Zea mays L.), commonly known as the "queen of cereals," is extensively cultivated with wide spacing, facilitating intercropping with legumes to improve productivity and sustainability. Intercropping systems are advantageous for weed management, decreasing dependence on herbicides, and enhancing environmental sustainability. The current study sought to determine whether intercropping maize with legumes may reduce weeds, increase productivity, and improve economic efficiency without using herbicides. A field experiment was executed in the Kharif 2022 season at Lovely Professional University's agricultural research farm in Phagwara, Punjab, employing a randomized block design with seven treatments replicated three times. The treatments comprised sole maize, sole moong bean, sole soybean, and intercropping systems of maize with moong bean or soybean in 1:2 and 1:3 ratios. The intercropping system of maize and moong bean (1:3) overcame all treatments, achieving the maximum grain production (5882.0 kg ha-¹), harvest index (43.86%), cob diameter (8.5 cm), grains per cob (17.67), and straw yield (7519.0 kg ha-¹). This system demonstrated exceptional weed suppression, achieving the lowest total weed density (5.22 no. m-²), minimal weed biomass (6.4 g m-²), and the highest weed smothering efficacy (68.7%). Moreover, it attained the highest land equivalent ratio (1.99), maize equivalent yield (10.17 t ha-¹), and monetary advantage index (₹4800), emphasizing its economic and ecological advantages. This research illustrates the innovation and effectiveness of herbicide-free weed management in maize-legume intercropping systems. The maize and moong bean (1:3) system promotes environmental sustainability, increases production, and enhances economic efficiency, offering a sustainable alternative to monocropping in the Punjab region.
Article Details
Article Details
Keywords
Legume, Intercropping, Yield assessment, Weed dynamics, Sustainability
References
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Anyoni, O. G., Susan, T., Joseph, E., Barnabas, M., & Alfred, O. (2023). Effects of Intercropping on Maize and Soybean Yield Performance, Land Equivalent Ratio, and Maize Leaf Area in Conservation Agriculture. Journal of Agricultural Science, 16(1). https://doi.org/10.5539/jas.v16n1p37
Atumo, T. T. (2022). Maize-lablab intercropping date improves yield and suppress parthenium weed. Cogent Food & Agriculture, 8(1). https://doi.org/10.1080/23311932.2022.2055270
Bedoussac, L., Journet, E. P., Hauggaard-Nielsen, H., Naudin, C., Corre-Hellou, G., Jensen, E. S., ... & Justes, E. (2015). Ecological principles underlying the increase of productivity achieved by cereal-grain legume intercrops in organic farming. A review. Agronomy for sustainable development, 35, 911-935. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13593-014-0277-7
Bekele, B., Ademe, D., Gemi, Y., & Habtemariam, T. (2021). Evaluation of intercropping legume covers with maize on soil moisture improvement in misrak azerinet berbere woreda, SNNPR, Ethiopia. Water Conservation Science and Engineering, 6(3), 145-151. https://doi.org/10.1007/s41101-021-00109-w
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Bilalis, D., Papastylianou, P., Konstantas, A., Patsiali, S., Karkanis, A., & Efthimiadou, A. (2010). Weed-suppressive effects of maize–legume intercropping in organic farming. International Journal of Pest Management, 56(2), 173-181. https://doi.org/10.1080/09670870903304471
Caballero, R., Goicoechea, E. L., & Hernaiz, P. J. (1995). Forage yields and quality of common vetch and oat sown at varying seeding ratios and seeding rates of vetch. Field crops research, 41(2), 135-140.
Donald, C. M., & Hamblin, J. (1976). The biological yield and harvest index of cereals as agronomic and plant breeding criteria. Advances in agronomy, 28, 361-405. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0065-2113(08)60559-3
Elhabbak, A., & El-mehy, A. (2023). Eco-friendly treatments for weed control in maize fields intercropped with cowpea. Environment, Biodiversity and Soil Security, 7,149-161 https://dx.doi.org/10.21608/jenvbs.2023.219835.1222.
Falade, A. A., Lagoke, S. T. O., Adigun, J. A., Pitan, O. R., & Osunleti, S. O. (2023). Growth and yield of maize (Zea mays L.) as influenced by cropping pattern and weed control treatments in the forest–savanna agro-ecological zone of southwest Nigeria. Acta fytotechnica et zootechnica ,26(2) 55–162. https://doi.org/10.15414/afz.2023.26.02.155-162
Gazoulis, I., Kanatas, P., Antonopoulos, N., Tataridas, A., & Travlos, I. (2022). False seedbed for agroecological weed management in forage cereal–legume intercrops and monocultures in Greece. Agronomy, 13(1), 123. https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy13010123
Hetta, G., Rana, S., Babal, B., Sharma, G., Sharma, R., & Kumar, S. (2023). Assessment Of Organic Weed Management Practices For Profitability And Energetics Of Maize-Based Cropping System In North-Western Himalayan Region. Applied Ecology & Environmental Research, 21(4).
Hirwe, O. R., Kumar, S., Sri, K. H., Reddy, P. M., Kumar, N., Nandana, S. K., ... & Fayaz, S. (2023). Different Weed Management Techniques in Maize (Zea mays L.): A Review. International Journal of Plant & Soil Science, 35(13), 179-191. https://doi.org/10.9734/ijpss/2023/v35i133003
Kaur, M., Singh, K., & Singh, H. (2023). Varying weed management treatments impact on weeds and fodder yield relationship in fodder maize.Indian Journal of Weed Science. 55(1):103-106
Kutamahufa, M., Matare, L., Soropa, G., Mashavakure, N., Svotwa, E., & Mashingaidze, A. B. (2022). Forage legumes exhibit a differential potential to compete against maize and weeds and to restore soil fertility in a maize-forage legume intercrop. Acta Agriculturae Scandinavica, Section B—Soil & Plant Science, 72(1), 127-141. https://doi.org/10.1080/09064710.2021.1998593
Lebreton, P., Bedoussac, L., Bonnet, C., Journet, E. P., Justes, E., & Colbach, N. (2024). Optimal species proportions, traits and sowing patterns for agroecological weed management in legume–cereal intercrops. European Journal of Agronomy, 159, 127266. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eja.2024.127266
Maitra, S., Manasa, P., Ram, M. S., Shankar, T., & Gaikwad, D. J. (2020). A Review on Productivity of Maize Intercropping Systems. Indian Journal of Natural Sciences, 11(63), 28617-28623.
Manasa, P., Maitra, S., & Barman, S. (2020). Yield attributes, yield, competitive ability and economics of summer maize-legume intercropping system. International Journal of Agriculture, Environment and Biotechnology, 13(1), 33-38.
Mohammadkhani, F., Pouryousef, M., Yousefi, A. R., & Gonzalez-Andujar, J. L. (2023). Weed community changes in saffron+ chickpea intercropping under different irrigation management. Plos one, 18(5), e0286474.
Naderi, R., Bijani, F., Weyl, P. S., & Mueller-Schaerer, H. (2022). Intercropping sweet corn with summer savory to increase weed suppression and yield. Weed Technology, 36(4), 544-547. https://doi.org/10.1017/wet.2022.54
Naher Q, Karim SMR, Begum M and Hossain MA. (2020). Production potential and weed dynamics in maize legumes intercropping system. Bangladesh Agronomy Journal, 23, 1-12
Namatsheve, T., Cardinael, R., Chikowo, R., Corbeels, M., Rugare, J. T., Mabasa, S., & Ripoche, A. (2024). Do intercropping and mineral nitrogen fertilizer affect weed community structures in low-input maize-based cropping systems? Crop Protection, 176, 106486. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cropro.2023.106486
Naveena, K., Madhukumar, V., Prashanth, R., & Mallikarjuna, G. B. (2015). Statistical analysis for area× time equivalent ratio (ater) to maize-urd bean intercropping system. International Journal of Agriculture Statistical Sciences. Vol, 11(1), 2015.
Ouda, S., & Zohry, A. E. H. (2024). Legumes Improve Wheat and Maize Productivity Grown in Different Cropping Systems Under Changing Climate. In Integration of Legume Crops with Cereal Crops Under Changing Climate: Sustainably Increasing Food Production (pp. 107-155). Cham: Springer Nature Switzerland. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-68102-8_4
Panda, S. K., Sairam, M., Sahoo, U., Shankar, T., & Maitra, S. (2022). Growth, productivity and economics of maize as influenced by maize-legume intercropping system. Farming and Management, 7(2), 61-66.
Pierre, J. F., Latournerie-Moreno, L., Garruña, R., Jacobsen, K. L., Laboski, C. A., Us-Santamaría, R., & Ruiz-Sánchez, E. (2022). Effect of maize–legume intercropping on maize physio-agronomic parameters and beneficial insect abundance. Sustainability, 14(19), 12385. https://doi.org/10.3390/su141912385
Sahoo, S., Seleiman, M. F., Roy, D. K., Ranjan, S., Sow, S., Jat, R. K., ... & Gitari, H. (2024). Conservation agriculture and weed management effects on weed community and crop productivity of a rice-maize rotation. Heliyon, 10(10) e31554 .https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e31 554.
Sahoo, U., Maitra, S., Dey, S., Vishnupriya, K. K., Sairam, M., & Sagar, L. (2023). Unveiling the potential of maize-legume intercropping system for agricultural sustainability: A review. Farming and Management, 8(1), 1-13.
Sharma, N., & Rayamajhi, M. (2022). Different aspects of weed management in maize (Zea mays L.): A brief review. Advances in Agriculture, 2022(1), 7960175.
Solanki, K., Pandey, I. B., Kumar, M., Singh, R. S., Prasad, S. S., & Pradhan, J. (2023). Effect of Planting Pattern, Fertilizer Levels and Weed Management Practices on System Productivity and Economics of Pigeonpea-Based Intercropping System. Journal of Experimental Agriculture International, 45(11), 49-57.
Villegas-Fernández, Á. M., Amarna, A. A., Moral, J., & Rubiales, D. (2024). Intercropping as a Strategy for Weed Management in Faba Bean (Vicia faba L.). Agronomy, 14(6), 1170. https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy14061170
Wienberg, J., & Gerowitt, B. (2023). Intercropping with Lolium spp. instead of applying soil-active herbicides confined weeds in three years of continuous maize cropping. Crop Protection, 106373. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cropro.2023.106373
Ananthi T, Amanullah MM & Al-Tawaha, ARMS (2017). A review on maize-legume intercropping for enhancing the productivity and soil fertility for sustainable agriculture in India. Advances in Environmental Biology, 11, 49-64
Anyoni, O. G., Susan, T., Joseph, E., Barnabas, M., & Alfred, O. (2023). Effects of Intercropping on Maize and Soybean Yield Performance, Land Equivalent Ratio, and Maize Leaf Area in Conservation Agriculture. Journal of Agricultural Science, 16(1). https://doi.org/10.5539/jas.v16n1p37
Atumo, T. T. (2022). Maize-lablab intercropping date improves yield and suppress parthenium weed. Cogent Food & Agriculture, 8(1). https://doi.org/10.1080/23311932.2022.2055270
Bedoussac, L., Journet, E. P., Hauggaard-Nielsen, H., Naudin, C., Corre-Hellou, G., Jensen, E. S., ... & Justes, E. (2015). Ecological principles underlying the increase of productivity achieved by cereal-grain legume intercrops in organic farming. A review. Agronomy for sustainable development, 35, 911-935. https://doi.org/10.1007/s13593-014-0277-7
Bekele, B., Ademe, D., Gemi, Y., & Habtemariam, T. (2021). Evaluation of intercropping legume covers with maize on soil moisture improvement in misrak azerinet berbere woreda, SNNPR, Ethiopia. Water Conservation Science and Engineering, 6(3), 145-151. https://doi.org/10.1007/s41101-021-00109-w
Berdjour, A., Dugje, I. Y., Dzomeku, I. K., & Rahman, N. A. (2020). Maize–soybean intercropping effect on yield productivity, weed control and diversity in northern Ghana Melbourne: John Wiley & Sons Australia, 20(2),69-81 https://doi.org/10.1111/wbm.12198
Bilalis, D., Papastylianou, P., Konstantas, A., Patsiali, S., Karkanis, A., & Efthimiadou, A. (2010). Weed-suppressive effects of maize–legume intercropping in organic farming. International Journal of Pest Management, 56(2), 173-181. https://doi.org/10.1080/09670870903304471
Caballero, R., Goicoechea, E. L., & Hernaiz, P. J. (1995). Forage yields and quality of common vetch and oat sown at varying seeding ratios and seeding rates of vetch. Field crops research, 41(2), 135-140.
Donald, C. M., & Hamblin, J. (1976). The biological yield and harvest index of cereals as agronomic and plant breeding criteria. Advances in agronomy, 28, 361-405. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0065-2113(08)60559-3
Elhabbak, A., & El-mehy, A. (2023). Eco-friendly treatments for weed control in maize fields intercropped with cowpea. Environment, Biodiversity and Soil Security, 7,149-161 https://dx.doi.org/10.21608/jenvbs.2023.219835.1222.
Falade, A. A., Lagoke, S. T. O., Adigun, J. A., Pitan, O. R., & Osunleti, S. O. (2023). Growth and yield of maize (Zea mays L.) as influenced by cropping pattern and weed control treatments in the forest–savanna agro-ecological zone of southwest Nigeria. Acta fytotechnica et zootechnica ,26(2) 55–162. https://doi.org/10.15414/afz.2023.26.02.155-162
Gazoulis, I., Kanatas, P., Antonopoulos, N., Tataridas, A., & Travlos, I. (2022). False seedbed for agroecological weed management in forage cereal–legume intercrops and monocultures in Greece. Agronomy, 13(1), 123. https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy13010123
Hetta, G., Rana, S., Babal, B., Sharma, G., Sharma, R., & Kumar, S. (2023). Assessment Of Organic Weed Management Practices For Profitability And Energetics Of Maize-Based Cropping System In North-Western Himalayan Region. Applied Ecology & Environmental Research, 21(4).
Hirwe, O. R., Kumar, S., Sri, K. H., Reddy, P. M., Kumar, N., Nandana, S. K., ... & Fayaz, S. (2023). Different Weed Management Techniques in Maize (Zea mays L.): A Review. International Journal of Plant & Soil Science, 35(13), 179-191. https://doi.org/10.9734/ijpss/2023/v35i133003
Kaur, M., Singh, K., & Singh, H. (2023). Varying weed management treatments impact on weeds and fodder yield relationship in fodder maize.Indian Journal of Weed Science. 55(1):103-106
Kutamahufa, M., Matare, L., Soropa, G., Mashavakure, N., Svotwa, E., & Mashingaidze, A. B. (2022). Forage legumes exhibit a differential potential to compete against maize and weeds and to restore soil fertility in a maize-forage legume intercrop. Acta Agriculturae Scandinavica, Section B—Soil & Plant Science, 72(1), 127-141. https://doi.org/10.1080/09064710.2021.1998593
Lebreton, P., Bedoussac, L., Bonnet, C., Journet, E. P., Justes, E., & Colbach, N. (2024). Optimal species proportions, traits and sowing patterns for agroecological weed management in legume–cereal intercrops. European Journal of Agronomy, 159, 127266. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eja.2024.127266
Maitra, S., Manasa, P., Ram, M. S., Shankar, T., & Gaikwad, D. J. (2020). A Review on Productivity of Maize Intercropping Systems. Indian Journal of Natural Sciences, 11(63), 28617-28623.
Manasa, P., Maitra, S., & Barman, S. (2020). Yield attributes, yield, competitive ability and economics of summer maize-legume intercropping system. International Journal of Agriculture, Environment and Biotechnology, 13(1), 33-38.
Mohammadkhani, F., Pouryousef, M., Yousefi, A. R., & Gonzalez-Andujar, J. L. (2023). Weed community changes in saffron+ chickpea intercropping under different irrigation management. Plos one, 18(5), e0286474.
Naderi, R., Bijani, F., Weyl, P. S., & Mueller-Schaerer, H. (2022). Intercropping sweet corn with summer savory to increase weed suppression and yield. Weed Technology, 36(4), 544-547. https://doi.org/10.1017/wet.2022.54
Naher Q, Karim SMR, Begum M and Hossain MA. (2020). Production potential and weed dynamics in maize legumes intercropping system. Bangladesh Agronomy Journal, 23, 1-12
Namatsheve, T., Cardinael, R., Chikowo, R., Corbeels, M., Rugare, J. T., Mabasa, S., & Ripoche, A. (2024). Do intercropping and mineral nitrogen fertilizer affect weed community structures in low-input maize-based cropping systems? Crop Protection, 176, 106486. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cropro.2023.106486
Naveena, K., Madhukumar, V., Prashanth, R., & Mallikarjuna, G. B. (2015). Statistical analysis for area× time equivalent ratio (ater) to maize-urd bean intercropping system. International Journal of Agriculture Statistical Sciences. Vol, 11(1), 2015.
Ouda, S., & Zohry, A. E. H. (2024). Legumes Improve Wheat and Maize Productivity Grown in Different Cropping Systems Under Changing Climate. In Integration of Legume Crops with Cereal Crops Under Changing Climate: Sustainably Increasing Food Production (pp. 107-155). Cham: Springer Nature Switzerland. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-68102-8_4
Panda, S. K., Sairam, M., Sahoo, U., Shankar, T., & Maitra, S. (2022). Growth, productivity and economics of maize as influenced by maize-legume intercropping system. Farming and Management, 7(2), 61-66.
Pierre, J. F., Latournerie-Moreno, L., Garruña, R., Jacobsen, K. L., Laboski, C. A., Us-Santamaría, R., & Ruiz-Sánchez, E. (2022). Effect of maize–legume intercropping on maize physio-agronomic parameters and beneficial insect abundance. Sustainability, 14(19), 12385. https://doi.org/10.3390/su141912385
Sahoo, S., Seleiman, M. F., Roy, D. K., Ranjan, S., Sow, S., Jat, R. K., ... & Gitari, H. (2024). Conservation agriculture and weed management effects on weed community and crop productivity of a rice-maize rotation. Heliyon, 10(10) e31554 .https://doi.org/10.1016/j.heliyon.2024.e31 554.
Sahoo, U., Maitra, S., Dey, S., Vishnupriya, K. K., Sairam, M., & Sagar, L. (2023). Unveiling the potential of maize-legume intercropping system for agricultural sustainability: A review. Farming and Management, 8(1), 1-13.
Sharma, N., & Rayamajhi, M. (2022). Different aspects of weed management in maize (Zea mays L.): A brief review. Advances in Agriculture, 2022(1), 7960175.
Solanki, K., Pandey, I. B., Kumar, M., Singh, R. S., Prasad, S. S., & Pradhan, J. (2023). Effect of Planting Pattern, Fertilizer Levels and Weed Management Practices on System Productivity and Economics of Pigeonpea-Based Intercropping System. Journal of Experimental Agriculture International, 45(11), 49-57.
Villegas-Fernández, Á. M., Amarna, A. A., Moral, J., & Rubiales, D. (2024). Intercropping as a Strategy for Weed Management in Faba Bean (Vicia faba L.). Agronomy, 14(6), 1170. https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy14061170
Wienberg, J., & Gerowitt, B. (2023). Intercropping with Lolium spp. instead of applying soil-active herbicides confined weeds in three years of continuous maize cropping. Crop Protection, 106373. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cropro.2023.106373
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Herbicide-free weed management in kharif maize (Zea mays L.) intercropping Systems: Advancing environmental sustainability, productivity, and economic efficiency. (2025). Journal of Applied and Natural Science, 17(1), 65-77. https://doi.org/10.31018/jans.v17i1.6135
