Improvement of Corn Plant Nutrition by Farmyard Manure Application and Intercropping with Bean and Bitter Vetch in a Calcareous Soil

In order to study the effect of intercropping of corn with bean and bitter vetch and farmyard manure (FYM) on corn nutrition, a factorial experiment was carried out on the basis of randomized complete blocks design with three replications. The factors were types of intercropping systems at levels of sole bean, bean+corn, sole bitter vetch, bitter vetch+corn, sole corn, and FYM at levels of 0, 30 and 60 tons per hectare. The results showed that intercropping of corn with bean and bitter vetch increased significantly concentrations of N, P, Fe, Zn, Cu and Mn of corn shoot compared to the sole corn, while it had not significant effect on concentrations of Ca, Mg and Na of corn shoot. The interactive effects of cultivation type and FYM on concentrations of N, Ca, Mg, Na, Fe, Zn and Cu of corn shoot were not significant but the effects of cultivation type on concentrations of P, K and Mn of corn shoot were dependent on the level of FYM application. Application of 30 and 60 tons FYM per hectare increased significantly concentrations of N, P, K, Ca, Mg, Na, Fe, Zn, Cu and Mn of corn shoot compared to the control. In general, the intercropping of corn with bean and application of FYM at the rate of 60 tons per hectare can be recommended for improving corn nutrition and its forage quality in the study area and similar conditions.