Field Crops Research, 4 (1981) 133--145 133

Elsevier Scientific Publishing Company, Amsterdam -- Printed in The Netherlands

EFFECT OF MAIZE + LEGUME INTERCROPPING SYSTEMS AND

FERTILIZER NITROGEN ON CROP YIELDS AND RESIDUAL NITROGEN

P.G.E. SEARLE, YUTHAPONG COMUDOM*, D.C. SHEDDEN and R.A. NANCE

Department of Agronomy and Horticultural Science, University of Sydney, N.S. W.,
2006 (Australia)
*Present address: Highland Agronomy Project, Chiangmai University (Thailand)
(Accepted 12 F ebru ary 1981 )

ABSTRACT

Searle, P.G.E., Yuthapong Comudom, Shedden, D.C. and Nance, B.A., 1981. Effect of
maize + legume intercropping systems and fertilizer nitrogen on crop yields and resid-
ual nitrogen. Field Crops Res., 4: 133--145.

The study involved two consecutive experiments on the same area at Camden, New
South Wales, 34 ° S. In the first, the intercropping experiment, nitrogen was applied at
the rate of 0, 25, 50 and 100 kg N ha -1 to maize alone (M), maize + soybean (MS), and
maize + peanut (MP) intercropping patterns. In addition, soybeans alone (S) and peanuts
alone (P) were grown without the addition of nitrogen, giving a total of 14 treatments.
After harvesting the first experiment, above-ground plant material was removed, plots
were rotary hoed and residual nitrogen was measured at sowing and after 15 weeks in a
crop of wheat.
Intercropping treatments gave relative yield totals as high as 1.4 at 0 kg N ha -1 fertilizer
nitrogen. Maize grain yield was not affected by legume intercrop, indicating neither com-
petitive depression nor nitrogen transfer from the legume. Intercropping depressed legume
dry matter and grain yields at 0 kg N ha -1. In the residual nitrogen experiment, nitrogen
uptake by wheat, considered the best criterion of residual nitrogen availability, was af-
fected by cropping pattern. At 0 kg N ha -1 the values were M = 12, MS and MP = 19, S =
46 and P = 54 kg N ha -1, all significantly different at P < 0.05. Exchangeable soil nitrogen
at sowing and at anthesis showed similar rankings although those at anthesis were lower
than those at sowing.
Fertilizer nitrogen had no effect on maize grain yield, but it increased maize total dry
matter yield. There was no significant interaction between cropping pattern and fertilizer
nitrogen. Fertilizer nitrogen affected nitrogen uptake by wheat at anthesis and exchange-
able soil nitrogen at sowing but not at anthesis. The responses in exchangeable soil nitrogen
at sowing, and in wheat nitrogen uptake at anthesis, to fertilizer nitrogen in the M treat-
ments were linear, while those in the MS and MP treatments were quadratic, maximum
value being attained by about 50 kg N ha 1. Nitrogen applied to intercropped legumes ap-
peared inhibitory to nitrogen fixation, both directly from increased soil nitrogen and in-
directly by stimulation of maize growth and shading of intercropped legumes. The data
showed that a subsequent crop would benefit as much from following one of the maize
+ legume intercropping patterns to which no nitrogen had been applied as from following
a maize crop to which 100 kg N ha -I had been applied.

0378-4290/81/0000--0000/$02.50 © 1981 Elsevier Scientific Publishing Company

134

INTRODUCTION

Among the advantages that intercropping may have over sole cropping is
that o f yield increase. Andrews and Kassam (1976} present favourable re-
lative yield total (RYT) values of two-crop mixtures ranging from 1.2 to 1.6,
i.e. 20 to 60% increases over sole cropping half the area to one crop and the
other half to the other crop. Two beneficial effects may be present when one
of the intercrops is a legume: (a) reduced competition for soil nitrogen, and
(b) increased residual nitrogen available to a following crop. When a legume
is one of the intercrops it is therefore important in the assessment of a crop°
ping pattern to measure not only the intercrop yields, b u t also the available
residual nitrogen.
In this study, two consecutive experiments were carried o u t on the same
area. In the first experiment, maize + soybean and maize + peanut row inter-
cropping patterns receiving increasing levels of nitrogen fertilizer were com-
pared with sole cropping of maize (also treated with nitrogen fertilizer), soy-
beans and peanuts, primarily to see what yield advantages were obtainable
from these crop combinations and fertilizer applications. In a second experi-
ment, residual nitrogen from each cropping pattern was examined by mea-
suring total exchangeable soil nitrogen (NO~- N, NO~-N and NH~-N) and
nitrogen uptake b y a following cereal crop to see what residual nitrogen
was available.
The study was carried o u t at latitude 34 ° S in New South Wales. While
the study was located outside the tropics, the high summer temperatures
during the intercropping experiment make the results relevant to many
areas of the tropics in which maize + soybean and maize + peanut cropping
patterns are used.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Location and soil

The experiments were carried out during November to November of

1978--1979 at Camden, N.S.W. (latitude 34°S). The soil was dark reddish
brown (5YR 3/3) light clay classified as a Gn 4.52 on the Northcote (1965)
classification system.

Intercropp ing experiment

Treatments and design. Nitrogen at the rate of 0, 25, 50 and 100 kg N ha -1

(NO, N25, N50 and N100 treatments) was applied to m o n o c r o p p e d maize
(M) and intercropped maize + soybean (MS) and maize + peanut (MP) crop-
ping patterns. In addition soybeans and peanuts were m o n o c r o p p e d (S and
P treatments) without the addition of nitrogen. A randomized complete
block design was used, with four replications of the 14 treatments.
 135

Individual plots measured 7 m by 4 m. Maize was sown in rows 100 cm

apart, legume rows were 50 cm apart. Thus there were four rows of maize
and eight rows of legumes on plots with both crops; adjacent maize and
legume rows were 25 cm apart.
Maize (Zea mays L.) cv. XL81 was used because it is recommended for
the area. It is medium to tall and high yielding. Inoculated soybean (Glyeine
max (L) Merr.) cv. William and peanut (Arachis hypogaea L.) cv. Virginia
Bunch were used because o f high yields in earlier experiments.

Land preparation and sowing. The land was prepared and fertilized with 200
kg ha -1 o f superphosphate (9.3% P) and 100 kg ha -1 KC1 (50% K) before
sowing. The highest rate of nitrogen (100 kg N ha -1) was the local commer-
cial recommendation for maize. Nitrogen (as urea, 46% N) was applied in a
split side dressing: half as a post-emergence application and half when plants
began floral initiation at 45 cm height. All species were sown on November
28, 1978, using a cone seeder.
Weed control was obtained with Stomp 33OE at 4.5 kg ha -1 and hand
removal. The crop was irrigated with overhead sprinklers to maintain rain-
fall + irrigation at 25 ram/week.

Observations. Time to first flowering was noted. Plant height was measured
in the 14th week after sowing when maize growth appeared to have ceased.
Solar radiation profiles were measured around midday with a Swissteco line-
ar net radiometer in the 0 and 100 kg N ha -~ plots in the 15th week. Dry
nodule weights were determined at first flowering in legumes on ten random-
ly selected plants from outer guard rows of plots.
Twenty weeks after sowing grain yield (at 14% moisture), total above-
ground dry matter yield, cobs per plant and 100 seed weight were deter-
mined in maize. Branches per plant, pods per branch, seeds per pod, 100
seed weight and grain yield (at 14% moisture) were determined in the le-
gumes: soybeans at 22 weeks, peanuts at 23 weeks after sowing. The date of
last harvest was April 9, 1979.

Residual nitrogen experiment

Land preparation and sowing. All plant material on the above plots was
removed by a forage harvester. Only plant roots and short above-ground
stumps remained. All peanuts were removed, including those in guard rows,
but all roots were returned and evenly distributed over the plots. All plots
were then rotary hoed twice to 20 cm to incorporate plant material.

Wheat (Triticum aestivum) cv. Condor at 40 kg ha -1 was sown on May 23,

1980. A basal dressing of 175 kg ha -1 o f superphosphate (9.3% P) and 75
kg ha -1 KC1 (50% K) was applied at sowing. The herbicide Stomp 33OE was
also applied at this time and gave excellent weed control.
136

Nitrogen

Exchangeable soft nitrogen (NH~-N + NO~-N + NO]-N) was determined at

sowing and anthesis of the crop at 19 weeks (October 3, 1979) after sowing
within a 1-m 2 quadrat kept plant-free in the centre o f each plot. Invasion of
this area by lateral roots from surrounding plants was controlled by digging
vertically with a spade to a depth of 30 cm around the perimeter of the
quadrat. Ten soil core samples (each 2.5 cm in diameter and 15 cm deep)
were taken at random from each quadrat at each sampling time. These were
bulked. A 40-g subsample was then placed in 200 ml o f 2MKC1 for the deter-
mination of exchangeable nitrogen according to the m e t h o d of Bremner
(1965).
Dry matter yield o f wheat was obtained 19 weeks after sowing, (during
anthesis), when nitrogen uptake would be near maximum. A sample was
analysed for nitrogen by the Kjeldahl m e t h o d (Yoshida et al., 1972) to ob-
tain nitrogen uptake values for each plot.

RESULTS

Intercropping experiment

Climate. The highest daily temperature during the season was 38 ° C, at-
tained in the seventh week after sowing; other daily maxima were 34 ° C or
below. Mean m o n t h l y m a x i m u m and minimum temperatures were in the
range 30.5 ° C to 19.5 ° C and 17.3 ° C to 7.8 ° C, respectively. Solar radiation
values were high, exceeding 3500 mW h cm -2 for the first 4 m o n t h s o f
growth and decreasing to 1750 mW h cm -2 in the last m o n t h of growth. Rain
fell in every m o n t h , the minimum being 126 mm per month.

Plant population and development

There were no significant treatment effects on plant population, plant

height or time to first flowering. The final plant population counts were:
maize 47 900, soybeans 106 600 and peanuts 100 400. Final plant heights
were: maize 210 cm, soybeans 69 cm and peanuts 42 cm. The times to first
flowering were: maize 8 weeks, and both legumes 5 weeks.
Solar radiation reaching the ground was significantly reduced by each cano-
py and the reduction was greater where nitrogen had been applied (Table I).

Effect of cropping pattern and nitrogen on maize

Maize grain yield, cobs per plant, and 100 seed weight were not affected
by treatment. The overall grain yield was 7770 kg ha -1, the number o f cobs
per plant 1.0 and 100 seed weight 29.0 g.
 137

TABLE I

Solar r a d i a t i o n m e a s u r e d at d i f f e r e n t levels in t h e maize + legume p l o t s as a f f e c t e d b y

n i t r o g e n level. Values are m e a n s for m a i z e + s o y b e a n a n d maize + p e a n u t plots. L i g h t
m e a s u r e d at t h e t o p o f t h e maize c a n o p y was t a k e n as 100%

Level in c r o p N i t r o g e n level

NO N 100

A b o v e maize c r o p 100 a 100 a

A b o v e legume c r o p 43 b 32 c
At ground 26 d 18 e

N u m b e r s followed b y the same l e t t e r are n o t significantly d i f f e r e n t a t t h e 5% level ac-

cording to D u n c a n ' s m u l t i p l e range test.

Total dry matter yield was affected (at P < 0.01) by cropping pattern and
nitrogen (Table II) but the interaction effect was not significant. Only the M
and M + P treatments differed significantly, while nitrogen increased yields up
to the highest level of application.

T A B L E II

Main effects o f c r o p p i n g p a t t e r n a n d n i t r o g e n o n t o t a l d r y m a t t e r yield of maize tops

Cropping pattern Yield ( t o n n e s h a - ' ) N i t r o g e n (kg h a ' ) Yield ( t o n n e s h a - ' )

M 22.1 0 17,6
MS 19.0 25 19,6
MP 20.8 50 21.1
100 24,3
SE 0.68 0.79
LSD ( 5 % ) 2.0 2.3
LSD ( 1 % ) 2.6 3.1

Effect of cropping pattern and nitrogen on legumes

Total dry matter yield and grain yield were higher in monocropped le-
gume treatments than in intercropped treatments, which did not differ
among themselves (Table III).
There were significant treatment effects on soybean nodule weights per
plant (P < 0.05). The S treatment (0.2 g plant -~) was significantly higher
than the MS treatments (0.09 g plant -~). Nitrogen level did not significantly
affect MS treatments. There were no significant treatment effects on peanut
nodule weight per plant.
Intercropping significantly (P < 0.01) reduced branches per plant (4.1 to
1.6 in soybean, 7.8 to 4.8 in peanuts), pods per branch (16.6 to 9.7 in soy-
138

bean, 1.9--1.3 in peanut), and 100 seed weight (24.5 to 23.1 g in soy-
bean, 62.5 to 39.9 g in peanut). There was no effect of cropping pattern on
seeds per pod in either legume. Increasing fertilizer nitrogen level had signifi-
cant effects only on pods per branch in peanuts (1.3 to 0.9) and 100 seed
weight in soybean (24.2 to 22.1 g) and peanuts (44.0 to 36.9 g). Significant
linear correlations, (all P < 0.001) were obtained for both legumes between
grain yield and branches per plant and pods per branch. No significant corre-
lation was obtained between grain yield and seeds per pod for either legume
or with seed weight for soybean. However, for peanut grain yield and seed
weight were highly and linearly correlated ( P < 0.01).

Relative yield totals. RYT values, calculated by summing the ratios of the
yield of each crop in mixture to that in monoculture, were highest in the
intercrop at the lowest level of applied nitrogen and lowest in the monocrop
(Table IV). Application of nitrogen tended to decrease the values below that
of the maize + legume value at zero level of applied nitrogen.

TABLE III

Effect of cropping pattern and nitrogen on total top and grain yield of legumes

Cropping Total Grain yield ÷x

pattern and
nitrogen DM yield of tops (kg ha -1) (kg ha -1)
level
Soybean Peanut Soybean Peanut

S, P 5,125 a 6,664 a 2,677 a 1,741 a

MS, MP at NO 1,051 b 2,708 b 534 b 530 b
MS, MP at N25 1,100 b 2,400 b 563 b 447 b
MS, MP at N50 1,242 b 2,367 b 569 b 418 b
MS, MP at N100 1,170 b 2,311 b 532 b 378 b
SE 310 xxx 314 xxx 159xxx 98xxx

Numbers with the same letter are not significantly different at the 5% level according
to Duncan's multiple range test.
+Grain Yield at 14% moisture.
xMain effect of nitrogen on maize grain yield: NO, 7108; N25, 7569; N50, 7783; N100,
8532 kg ha -1. Differences not significant.

TABLE IV

Relative yield totals of intercropping patterns

Cropping system maize + soybean maize + peanut

M, S, P 1.00 1.00
MS, MP at NO 1.36 1.37
MS, MP at N25 1.03 1.12
MS, MP at N50 1.01 1.22
MS, MP at N100 1.09 1.29
 139

Residual nitrogen experiment

Climate and plant population. Mean monthly m a x i m u m and minimum tem-

peratures varied during the May--October growing period over the range 19
to 24 ° C and 3.5 to 10.5 e C, respectively. Between 25 and 43 mm of rain fell
each month, dry periods being supplemented with irrigation.
There was no effect of treatment on plant population which was 530 000
plants ha -1.

Exchangeable soil nitrogen and nitrogen uptake. The effect of cropping pat-
tern and fertilizer nitrogen on exchangeable nitrogen at sowing (0 weeks)
is shown in Fig.1. There were highly significant main effects of cropping pat-
tern (P < 0.01) and fertilizer nitrogen (P < 0.01). The relationships be-
tween exchangeable nitrogen and fertilizer nitrogen were quadratic for the
MS (r 2 = 0.98, P < 0.01) and MP cropping patterns (r 2 = 0.99, P < 0.01) and
linear for the M cropping pattern (r 2 = 0.97, P < 0.01). Exchangeable nitrogen
increased only to about 50 kg N ha -1 in the maize-legume cropping patterns,
but to 100 kg N ha -1 in the M cropping pattern.
The situation at anthesis (19 weeks) was as shown in Fig.2. The main ef-

24--

20 ° J

f
• .i j

E
&
g

E
12 12

t 25 t I I I I I
0 50 100 0 25 50 100

Fertilizer nitrogen (kg N ha-1) Fertilizer nitrogen (kg N ha -1)

Fig. 1. E f f e c t o f fertilizer nitrogen and cropping s y s t e m o n e x c h a n g e a b l e soil nitrogen at

sowing. • Maize + peanut, • m a i z e + s o y b e a n , • maize alone cropping patterns.

Fig. 2. E f f e c t o f fertilizer nitrogen and cropping s y s t e m o n e x c h a n g e a b l e soil nitrogen at

anthesis. • m a i z e + peanut, • m a i z e + s o y b e a n , A m a i z e alone cropping patterns.
140

fect of cropping pattern was highly significant (P < 0.01), MS and MP pat-
terns both having higher (P < 0.01) nitrogen than the M pattern but not dif-
fering significantly among themselves. There was no effect of fertilizer
nitrogen. Comparison o f the regressions fitted to the M pattern data in Figs.
1 and 2, shows that the lack of a significant response to fertilizer nitrogen at
anthesis was due to b o t h an increase in exchangeable nitrogen at 0 kg N ha -]
and a decrease in exchangeable nitrogen at 100 kg N ha -1. The lack of
significant response to fertilizer nitrogen at anthesis in the maize-legume pat-
terns was largely due to decreased exchangeable nitrogen values at higher
levels o f fertilizer nitrogen.
Nitrogen uptake b y wheat at anthesis was affected b y b o t h cropping pat-
tern (P < 0.01) and fertilizer nitrogen (P < 0.01) (Fig.3). The response in
the M pattern to nitrogen was linear (r ~ = 0.99, P < 0.01) and differed in
slope from b o t h the MS and MP patterns, which did not differ between
themselves. A single quadratic has been fitted to the intercropping patterns
(r 2 = 0.99, P < 0.01). The response to nitrogen continued up to 100 kg N
ha -1 in the M pattern, while in the intercropped patterns, maximum re-
sponse was attained b y 50 kg N ha -1. The values for both maize intercropped
with legumes without nitrogen and maize alone fertilized with 100 kg N
ha -1 are similar.
Table V shows that at 0 weeks, exchangeable nitrogen values were lowest
in the M pattern, highest in the m o n o c r o p p e d legumes (which did not differ

2
z

c~

I I
215 5O 100

Fertilizer nitrogen ( kg N ha-1)

Fig.3. E f f e c t o f fertilizer n i t r o g e n a n d c r o p p i n g s y s t e m o n n i t r o g e n u p t a k e b y w h e a t at
anthesis. • maize + peanut, • maize + soybeans, • maize alone cropping patterns.
 141

TABLE V

E f f e c t of p r i o r c r o p p i n g p a t t e r n (all w i t h o u t a d d e d fertilizer n i t r o g e n ) o n residual ex-

c h a n g e a b l e soil n i t r o g e n at 0 a n d at 19 weeks a f t e r sowing a n d u p t a k e o f n i t r o g e n b y
following wheat crop

Cropping Exchangeable nitrogen Nitrogen

(p.p.m. N) uptake
(kg N h a -1 )

(0 weeks x ) ( 1 9 weeks +) ( 1 9 weeks*)

Maize 9.0 c 13.1 c 12 d

Soybean 29.9 a 23.1 a 46 b
Peanut 32.7 a 23.4 a 54 a
Maize + s o y b e a n 16.7 b 14.8 bc 19 c
Maize + p e a n u t 15.3 b 17.9 ab 19 c

Figures in t h e same c o l u m n are n o t significantly d i f f e r e n t at t h e 5% level if f o l l o w e d b y

t h e same l e t t e r a c c o r d i n g t o D u n c a n ' s m u l t i p l e r a n g e test.
x : a t sowing
÷: a t a n t h e s i s

significantly from each other) and intermediate in the maize + legume pat-
terns (also not significantly different). At 19 weeks the same general ranking
was evident but the overall range was smaller owing to both a higher M pat-
tern value and lower monocropped legume values. The P pattern value had
decreased so t h a t it was not significantly different from the MP pattern,
while the M pattern was no longer significantly different from the MS pat-
tern. The nitrogen uptake values reflect the same ranking as exchangeable
nitrogen at 0 weeks but the P pattern was significantly greater than the S
pattern.
Significant linear and positive correlations were obtained between nitrogen
uptake by wheat at 19 weeks and both total dry matter yield (r 2 = 0.99,
P < 0.05 in soybean; r 2 = 0.98, P < 0.05 in peanut) and grain yield (r 2 =
0.99, P < 0.05 in soybean; r 2 = 0.97, P < 0.05 in peanut).

DISCUSSION

Effect of fertilizer nitrogen

The lack of a significant response in maize grain yield to applied nitrogen

was unexpected in view of the fact that grain yield increases o f over 2 tonnes
ha -1 were obtained to nitrogen in the M and MP treatments. Two factors
were probably mainly responsible for a lack of significant response: (a) the
high grain yield at zero level of applied nitrogen (6.7 tonnes ha -1 for the
MNO treatment), indicating that available soil nitrogen was not particularly
low, and (b) the variability in maize grain yield between similar treatments in
different blocks (coefficient of variation 17.8%). Nitrogen had apparently
142

remained in the soil from a previous crop of tomatoes. The variability was
found, on checking the history of the site, to be largely attributable to a
flood some years previously which had scoured depressions later refilled
with sandy soil.
In contrast there was a total dry matter response to nitrogen (Table II).
The maize was able to compete easily with soybeans in the uptake of nitro-
gen because of its shallower root system (Beets, 1977), resulting in better
growth and greater shading at higher levels of nitrogen (Table I). Increased
shading probably accounts for the reductions in branches per plant, pods
per branch and 100 seed weight in both soybeans and peanuts, even though
total dry matter yield, grain yield (Table III) and plant height of both le-
gumes were not affected. Reduced nodulation in soybean due to nitrogen
was probably due also to increased shading, as well as direct suppression of
nodulation b y increased soil nitrogen levels. Had nodulation in peanuts been
measured at maturity instead o f at flowering, significant treatment effects
may also have been found.
Fertilizer nitrogen applied to the first experiment carried through to af-
fect residual nitrogen available to the following crop. As the highest fertilizer
rate was not excessively high, it being a normal commercial rate, it was like-
ly that most of the applied nitrogen was taken up b y the crops, particularly
the maize as mentioned above. It is therefore likely that the significant dif-
ferences within both exchangeable soil nitrogen at sowing (Fig.l) and nitro-
gen uptake by wheat (Fig.3) were due to differences in the quantities miner-
alized from the crop residues. To have such differences observable just 4
weeks after harvesting the first experiment is quite consistent with the find-
ing o f Bartholomew (1965) that mineralization rates within the first few
weeks can be quite high due to the activity of microflora on the most nitro-
gen-rich residues.
The linear response in nitrogen uptake to fertilizer nitrogen in the M pat-
tern (Fig. 3), indicates that luxury levels of nitrogen had not been reached
by the plants. They were therefore able to respond to additional inputs of
relations obtained between nitrogen uptake b y wheat and total dry matter
and grain yields of the legumes confirms the input o f nitrogen from this
source. It appears from Figs.1 and 3 that there was little or no benefit from
fixed nitrogen above 50 kg N ha -1, presumably n o t due to the attainment of
luxury levels of nitrogen uptake b u t rather to the suppression of nitrogen
fixation at higher levels of fertilizer nitrogen.
The lack o f a significant difference in exchangeable nitrogen at 19 weeks
between any t w o cropping patterns (Fig.2) is not altogether unexpected. The
first flush of mineralization had probably ceased because the most readily
decomposable organic matter had been mineralized already and because
mean daily temperatures had fallen from those at the time of sowing. Ex-
changeable nitrogen values were probably lower at the second sampling at 19
weeks because of leaching by rain and irrigation water, and perhaps also be-
cause of denitrification. Crop uptake o f course cannot be invoked here as
the sampling area was kept plant-free. The nitrogen contribution by the le-
gumes is still evident.
 143

Effect of cropping pattern

Intercropping the maize with legumes has shown an obvious benefit in

increased yields, as high as 36.5% for b o t h legumes (Table IV). Since there
was no depression in maize grain yield with intercropping there was a clear
bonus o f a high protein grain of at least 532 kg ha-' in soybean and 378 kg
ha -1 in peanuts (Table III). This RYT value is lower than the 60% improve-
ment in yield recorded by Andrews and Kassam (1976) b u t better than the
20--25% range of Singh (1977) f o u n d in the results o f the All-India Co-or-
dinated Experiments in which soybeans, peanuts and other legumes had
been used in sorghum-based intercrop systems. The fact that maize grain
yield was not depressed in any intercropped treatment here was probably
due to the lack of competition for nutrients (P, K, Ca and S were in the
basal dressing and N levels appeared adequate for good yields) and water
(which was always supplied). Beets (1977) has also noted that when cereals
and legumes are grown together, it is usually the cereal which is least affect-
ed by the interaction.
There appears to have been no contribution of fixed nitrogen from the
legumes to the maize. This would have been possible only if the legume
had senesced well before the maize plants matured (Henzell and Vallis,
1976).
Maize introduced competition primarily for light (Table I), to the disad-
vantage o f the legumes in terms o f branches per plant and pods per branch
in both soybeans and peanuts, and 100 seed weight in peanuts and nodule
weight in soybeans. Similar effects on yield components of intercropped
legumes have been found b y Johnston et al. (1969) and Mann and Jaworski
(1970), and on nodulation in soybeans b y R e d d y and Chatterjee (1973) and
Wahua and Miller (1978).
Field observation showed that intercropped legumes were markedly
etiolated, thus making them as tall as monocropped, b u t heavier and higher
yielding plants (Table III). While the proportional reduction in yield of soy-
beans due to intercropping was greater than in peanuts, it should be noted
that the absolute grain yields of the intercropped legumes were substantially
the same.
Nitrogen uptake values for the wheat crop may be considered the most ac-
curate index o f residual nitrogen available to a following crop. Uptake data
in Fig.3 show that there was a significant second benefit from intercropping
with legumes: as much nitrogen was available to the second crop following
a maize + legume pattern to which no nitrogen had been applied as there
was following a M pattern to which 100 kg N ha -1 had been applied. The ex-
changeable nitrogen values in Fig.1 reflect a similar pattern as Fig.3. Fig.1
legume values at 0 kg N ha -~ are lower than those at 100 kg N ha -~ applied
to the M pattern probably due to the slower rate of mineralization o f nitro-
gen-poor residues in these treatments. At 19 weeks the contribution o f
nitrogen from the legumes was still evident in the exchangeable nitrogen
144

values (Fig.2) even though the effect of nitrogen had disappeared.

Nitrogen uptake values in all cropping patterns at 0 kg N ha -1 in Table V
reveal the additional information that greatest residual nitrogen inputs were
made by the monocropped legumes, particularly peanuts. (This is also re-
flected in the exchangeable nitrogen values at 0 and 19 weeks.) However,
while the residual nitrogen values were highest for the S and P cropping pat-
terns, the total grain yield was considerably lower than for the intercropped
treatment at 0 kg N ha -1 (Table IV). Table V also reveals that residual nitro-
gen measured by nitrogen uptake on the intercropped plots (19 kg N ha -l )
was not much greater than for the monocropped maize (12 kg N ha -1 ). How-
ever, here while the difference in fixed nitrogen may appear small (and is al-
so reflected in exchangeable nitrogen values), there was a considerable (at
least 36%) increase in yield due to intercropping. The reason residual nitro-
gen values were lower in the maize + legume intercropping pattern than in
the monocropped legume patterns (Table V) was probably twofold. Firstly,
a greater depletion of soil nitrogen due to removal in the intercropped maize,
and secondly, a suppression of the legume and its capacity to nodulate and
fix nitrogen due to shading by maize. Higher inputs of residual nitrogen
from legumes could have been obtained if the tops had also been returned
to the plots.
The results obtained here have shown clear benefits from intercropping
maize with legume in terms of both total grain yield and nitrogen inputs.
This information is unlikely to modify local maize cropping practices as the
crop is wholly mechanized and damage to the legume intercrop would occur
during harvesting. However, these findings in a hot, sub-humid environment
should be relevant to tropical areas and to similar climatic regimes at higher
latitudes where intercropping is practised.

ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS

The Authors are grateful to Mr. D. King and Mr. P. Nixon of the Universi-
ty Farms, Camden, N.S.W., for technical assistance. The second author is al-
so grateful for a Colombo Plan Award. The provision of maize seed by Mr.
P. Rothwell, De Kalb Shand, Tamworth, N.S.W., is acknowledged.
This investigation was part of a study on cropping systems initiated by
the East-West Resource Systems Institute of the East-West Centre, Honolulu,
HI, U.S.A.

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