EFFECT OF INTERCROPPING , WEED CONTROL TREATMENT AND THEIR INTERACTIONS ON YIELD AND ITS ATTRIBUTES OF CHICKPEA AND CANOLA

During 1999/2000 and 2000/2001 seasons, in newly re claimed sandy soil at the Experimental Farm of the Faculty of Agriculture at Fayoum, two field experiments were conducted to study the effect of intercropping of c hickpea with canola coupled with weed control treatments on yield and its components of t he two crops. Four planting patterns, i.e., intercropping chickpea : canola in 3:1 and 1:1 syst em besides monoculture of each crop were applied. Five weed control methods, i.e., hoeing, b utralin at 1.5, 2.5 and 3.5 L/fad besides unweeded were practiced. Randomized complete block design with three replicates was used. The plot size was 16.8 m 2 included 8 ridges, 3.5 m long and 60 cm apart. Sow ing as done on Nov. 10 and 8 in the first and second season, respe ctively. Data of fresh weight of annual weeds showed as expe cted that hoeing was more effective for eradication of broadleaf weed compare d with butralin in almost all cases, but the reverse was true for narrow-leaf weeds. Canola in s ole planting caused marked reduction in the weight of the total weeds. Butralin at 3.5 L/fa d in the first weed sample (60 days after sowing) or at 2.5 and 3.5 L/fad in the second sampl e (90 days after sowing) were significantly depressed weed growth. Regarding chickpea, the data revealed that intercro pping chickpea : canola in 3:1 and 1:1 systems had equal effects and surpassed that of pure stand for plant height, 100-seed weight and seed protein (%). Pure stand and intercr opping 3:1 system clearly increased those of 1:1 intercropping for number of pods and seed we ight/plant, biological and seed yields/fad of chickpea. Butralin at 2.5 and 3.5 L/fad showed s imilar effects on seed weight/plant and seed yield/fed, but 3.5 L/fad was better for 100-se ed weight, biological yield and protein (%), while 1.5 L/fad was more effective for plant height and 2.5 L/fad for branches and pods/plant. Chemical treatments were better than hoeing for bra nches and seed weight /plant and seed yield /fad, whereas unweeded treatment showed the l ow st values for all characters. The greatest seed yield/fad was produced from butralin t 2.5 L/fad x pure stand chickpea interaction. Concerning canola, the two intercropping patterns w ere better than pure stand for all characters except biological and seed yields/fad wh ereas the pure stand gave the highest values for both characters. Intercropping of 3:1 su rpassed 1:1 system for seed weight/plant, whereas the reverse was observed for pods/plant, an d both patterns had similar effects on plant height and seed oil (%). The effect of butral in t 3.5 L/fad increased that of 2.5 L/fad for seed weight/plant, 500seed weight and seed yields /fad, and both were of similar effect on plant height, branches /plant and biological yield/ fa . Chemical treatments were better than hoeing for all characters except seed oil (%). Hoei ng surpassed unweeded treatment for seed weight/plant, 500-seed weight and seed yield/fad. T he highest seed yield/fad was produced by butralin at 3.5 L/fad x canola sole interaction. Th e data indicated that the best LER was obtained from 3:1 system and the canola was dominan t while chickpea was dominated component. Key Ward: Chickpea, Canola, Intercropping, Weed control, inte raction, seed yield and yield components, protein & oil .