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What are benefits of
intercropping in the Nile Delta?
Prof. Korany Abdel-Gawad

Introduction
In Egypt, the agricultural development is facing
by many constraints concerned with limitation
of soil, water and inputs, associated with
continuous growth population, resulting in
reduced production per capita.
Saturday, September 12, 2015 Prof.Korany Ismail Abdel-Gawad

In addition, the farmers are frequently followed old
practices such as the relay sowing of crops,
exhausting more land area, water and inputs.

Also, these practices are commonly used for the
major crops that occupied most of the available
old land area in Nile Valley.
While other crops, of secondary importance,
such as soybean, cowpea, barley, lupine, lentil
and chickpea are restricted in small areas.

An alternative procedure to mitigate the effect
of these constraints and to increase the acreage
and production of such secondary crops is
intercropped them particularly either in the
newly reclaimed soils or in the old ones.

It is an old and widespread practice in the low
input system based on the manipulation of plant
interaction to maximize their growth and
productivity in addition to yearly yield stability
allowing more consistent yields (Willey, 1979).

Intercropping provides an efficient utilization of
environmental resources,
Reduces the risk of the cost of production,
Provides greater financial stability for farmers,
Decreases pest damages,
Suppresses weed growth more than monocultures,
Improves soil fertility through nitrogen increasing to the
system
And improves forage yield and quality (Ofori and Stern,
1987).

Intercropping in Egypt is also recommended to
increase profitability for Egyptian farmers and
agricultural production against food crises (Abdel-
Gawad , 1992,1993; Abdel-Gawad et al,1998,2000;
Metwally et al. , 2009a,b; Abdel-Gawad et al., 2011;
Abdel Aziz et al. , 2012 and Abdel- Galil et al, 2014).

In Egypt
• The cropping area is about 16 million fed.
• About 2.5 million fed. are growing by intercropping
different annual crops and orchards.
• Water use efficiency (WUE) and land equivalent
ratios (LERs), as well as, income equivalent ratios
(IERs) are increased to more than 1.5 as compared
to solid cropping systems. So, intercropping
patterns are conventional practices by many
Egyptian farmers.

Different types of intercropping have been identified.
1- mixed intercropping, where two or more 4 crops are
grown together without any distinct row pattern;
2- relay intercropping in which a second crop is planted
into an existing crop;
3- row intercropping where at least one crop is planted in
rows narrow enough to permit interaction;
4- strip intercropping where two or more crops are grown
together in strips wide enough to accommodate machinery
(Ruthernberg, 1980; Kantor, 1999).

Intercropping saves water
• Soybean/maize intercropping could be a way of irrigation
water saving, especially in situations of limited water
resources (Tsubo et al., 2005). Intercrops have been known
to conserve water, largely due to early high leaf area index
and higher leaf area (Ogindo and Walker, 2005).
• Morris and Garrity (1993) stated that water capture by
intercrops is higher by about 7% compared with sole crop.
They also indicated that the water utilization efficiency of
intercrops was higher by about 18% compared with sole
crop. Same trend was shown by Barhom,2001.under
soybean/maize intercropping, compared with sole maize and
sole soybean (Barhom, 2001).

Materials and Methods
Three experiments were done.
!- intercropping maize with soybean in summer.
2- relay intercropping by planting berseem
clover in the late maize planting field.
3- intercropping berseem clover with wheat in
winter.

• Maize (Zea mays L., cv. Yellow maize hybrid 352)
seeds were sown in 2seeds per hill, on the ridges
on September 17, 2013 in the experimental fields
of the Agricultural Research Center (ARC) in
Sakha, Kafr El-Shaikh, Egypt. Ridge distance was
about 70cm and hill distance was 25cm. Seedlings
were thinned to one plant per hill. Berseem
clover (Trifolium alexandrinum L. cv. El Helali)
seeds were broadcasted on the slope of ridges
and furrows on October 13, 2013 (Fig. 1).

Fig. 1. Cropping patterns of monoculture and intercropping.
M: maize, B: berseem.

A new intercropping method for human consumption,
animal feeds and water-saving
We tried a new style of intercropping farming by planting
a second crop (legumes) on the same furrow in a zigzag
manner or by filling the gaps between the main crops
(Fig. 2).
This system can provide high land-use efficiency and
water-use efficiency by reducing evaporation from the
soil. The land equivalent ratio (LER) was improved to 1.17.
The maize yield tended to increase when the maize was
intercropped with Egyptian clover in late summer.

Fig. 2. A new intercropping method in the
summer (left) with maize/soybean and in
winter (right) with wheat/Egyptian clover.

Fig. 2. Berseem growing under the
shading of maize.

• Plant length, fresh weight and dry weight of stem,
leaves and panicles of intercropping maize
tended higher than those of monoculture maize
(Table 1).
• Fresh and dry weight of the shoots of
intercropping berseem tended tremendously
lower than those of solid berseem,
• While plant length of intercropping berseem was
higher. In intercropping fields, maize has made
shade under plants and the shade inhibited the
growth of berseem (Table 1).

T a b l e 1 . G r o w t h i n c r e m e n t s o f m o n o c u l t u r e a n d
i n t e r c r o p p i n g o f m a i z e a n d b e r s e e m .

Although LER was not so high in the present
study, intercropped maize tended to be higher in
all growth parameters than monoculture.

• Agboola and Fayemi (1971) cultivated maize and nine
different tropical legumes as an intercropping.
• The intercropping did not affect the yield of maize.
• Intercropped berseem was extra production and
income for farmers in the present study because
berseem has been cultivated in the open space
between maize ridges.
• On the other hand, vegetation covering inhibited
evaporation from the soil surface and berseem could
use the soil water for growth effectively. It estimated
this type of intercropping was useful in the Nile delta
agricultural field for increase of the agricultural
production.

At harvest 11/05/2013
R1 R2 R3 Mean R1 R2 R3 Mean R1 R2 R3 Mean R1 R2 R3 Mean R1 R2 R3 Mean
cut 72.6 84.0 70.2 75.6 268 408 352 342.7 0 0 0 0 880 1280 1320 1160.0 0.71 0.77 0.58 0.69
No cut 91.2 98.6 94.2 94.7 356 444 408 402.7 0 0 0 0 1480 2520 1680 1893.3 1.44 2.09 2.78 2.10
mean 81.9 91.3 82.2 85.1 312.0 426.0 380.0 372.7 0 0 0 0 1180.0 1900.0 1500.0 1526.7 1.07 1.43 1.68 1.39
cut 69.2 64.0 60.8 64.7 40 88 140 89.3 1320 1400 1280 1333.3 450 520 480 483.3 0.72 0.75 0.74 0.74
No cut 97.6 93.6 100.8 97.3 320 184 184 229.3 2000 1880 1720 1866.7 1080 1040 920 1013.3 1.36 1.76 1.66 1.59
mean 83.4 78.8 80.8 81.0 180.0 136.0 162 159.3 1660.0 1640.0 1500.0 1600.0 765.0 780.0 700.0 748.3 1.04 1.26 1.20 1.17
cut 7.6 8.8 8.4 8.3 18.0 19.0 18.0 18.3 25.0 22.4 20.0 22.5 1.4 1.2 1.1 1.2 357.00 225.72 347.39 310.04
No cut 10.1 9.5 10.0 9.9 19.2 19.0 19.2 19.1 35.5 45.0 50.4 43.6 1.8 2.4 2.6 2.3 477.04 369.00 460.80 435.61
mean 8.85 9.15 9.2 9.1 18.6 19.0 18.6 18.7 30.3 33.7 35.2 33.1 1.6 1.8 1.9 1.8 417.02 297.36 404.09 372.82
cut 8.7 7.0 8.8 8.2 17.8 16.0 19.0 17.6 26.0 24.0 25.6 25.2 1.5 1.5 1.3 1.4 278.35 233.14 250.08 253.85
No cut 10.3 9.0 8.4 9.2 20.5 19.4 18.4 19.4 32.4 40.8 36.0 36.4 1.6 2.1 2.0 1.9 411.60 343.60 396.80 384.00
mean 9.5 8 8.6 8.7 19.2 17.7 18.7 18.5 29.2 32.4 30.8 30.8 1.5 1.8 1.7 1.7 344.97 288.37 323.44 318.93
R1 R2 R3 Mean R1 R2 R3 Mean R1 R2 R3 Mean
cut 156.6 109 136.8 134.1 0 0 0 0.0 1800 1480 1800 1693.3
No cut 102.2 137.6 168.6 136.1 0 0 0 0.0 3520 2640 3040 3066.7
Mean 129.4 123.3 152.7 135.1 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 2660.0 2060.0 2420.0 2380.0
cut 125.8 159.8 123.6 136.4 1320 1400 1280 1333.3 870 880 800 850.0
No cut 116.2 132.2 118.4 122.3 2000 1880 1720 1866.7 920 960 800 893.3
Mean 121.0 146.0 121.0 129.3 1660.0 1640.0 1500.0 1600.0 895.0 920.0 800.0 871.7
Biological yield of wheat/m2 Grains weight/spike,g
Mono
Intercropping
Cropping
patterns
Treatm
ents
spike length, cm No. of spikelts/spike No. of grains/spike No. of grains/spikelts Grains weight/m2,g
Treatm
ents
plant height, cm No. of tillers/m2 Total bioloical yield/m2,g
Mono
Intercropping
Wheat
Clover
Wheat
Mono
Cropping
patterns
Cropping
patterns
Treatm
ents
plant height, cm Total bioloical yield/m2,g Biological yield of clover/m2
Intercropping

Atharvest 11/05/2013
cut 72.6 84.0 70.2 75.6 268 408 352 342.7 0 0 0 0 880 1280 1320 1160.0 0.71 0.77 0.58 0.69
Nocut 91.2 98.6 94.2 94.7 356 444 408 402.7 0 0 0 0 1480 2520 1680 1893.3 1.44 2.09 2.78 2.10
mean 81.9 91.3 82.2 85.1 312.0 426.0 380.0 372.7 0 0 0 0 1180.0 1900.0 1500.0 1526.7 1.07 1.43 1.68 1.39
cut 69.2 64.0 60.8 64.7 40 88 140 89.3 1320 1400 1280 1333.3 450 520 480 483.3 0.72 0.75 0.74 0.74
Nocut 97.6 93.6 100.8 97.3 320 184 184 229.3 2000 1880 1720 1866.7 1080 1040 920 1013.3 1.36 1.76 1.66 1.59
mean 83.4 78.8 80.8 81.0 180.0 136.0 162 159.3 1660.0 1640.0 1500.0 1600.0 765.0 780.0 700.0 748.3 1.04 1.26 1.20 1.17
cut 7.6 8.8 8.4 8.3 18.0 19.0 18.0 18.3 25.0 22.4 20.0 22.5 1.4 1.2 1.1 1.2 357.00 225.72 347.39 310.04
Nocut 10.1 9.5 10.0 9.9 19.2 19.0 19.2 19.1 35.5 45.0 50.4 43.6 1.8 2.4 2.6 2.3 477.04 369.00 460.80 435.61
mean 8.85 9.15 9.2 9.1 18.6 19.0 18.6 18.7 30.3 33.7 35.2 33.1 1.6 1.8 1.9 1.8 417.02 297.36 404.09 372.82
cut 8.7 7.0 8.8 8.2 17.8 16.0 19.0 17.6 26.0 24.0 25.6 25.2 1.5 1.5 1.3 1.4 278.35 233.14 250.08 253.85
Nocut 10.3 9.0 8.4 9.2 20.5 19.4 18.4 19.4 32.4 40.8 36.0 36.4 1.6 2.1 2.0 1.9 411.60 343.60 396.80 384.00
mean 9.5 8 8.6 8.7 19.2 17.7 18.7 18.5 29.2 32.4 30.8 30.8 1.5 1.8 1.7 1.7 344.97 288.37 323.44 318.93
Biologicalyieldofwheat/m2 Grainsweight/spike,g
Mono
Intercropping
Cropping
patterns
Treatm
ents
spikelength,cm No.ofspikelts/spike No.ofgrains/spike No.ofgrains/spikelts Grainsweight/m2,g
Treatm
ents
plantheight,cm No.oftillers/m2 Totalbioloicalyield/m2,g
Wheat
Wheat
Mono
Cropping
patterns
Intercropping

R1 R2 R3 Mean R1 R2 R3 Mean R1 R2 R3 Mean
cut 156.6 109 136.8 134.1 0 0 0 0.0 1800 1480 1800 1693.3
Nocut 102.2 137.6 168.6 136.1 0 0 0 0.0 3520 2640 3040 3066.7
Mean 129.4 123.3 152.7 135.1 0.0 0.0 0.0 0.0 2660.0 2060.0 2420.0 2380.0
cut 125.8 159.8 123.6 136.4 1320 1400 1280 1333.3 870 880 800 850.0
Nocut 116.2 132.2 118.4 122.3 2000 1880 1720 1866.7 920 960 800 893.3
Mean 121.0 146.0 121.0 129.3 1660.0 1640.0 1500.0 1600.0 895.0 920.0 800.0 871.7
Mono
Intercropping
Clover
Cropping
patterns
Treatm
ents
plantheight,cm Totalbioloicalyield/m2,g Biologicalyieldofclover/m2

• The byproduct of the crops can also make an excellent
feeds for animals. We have confirmed that goats fed
byproducts of wheat/Egyptian clover intercropping can
produce 10% more milk than those fed monocropped
clover.
• This was due to the well-balanced nutrients and easily
digestible properties of the mixture of the feeds.
• Additionally, the intercropping system is a good way to
introduce some crops, such as soybean, to farmers by
soybean/maize intercropping.
• The intercropping system does have some disadvantages:
the complicated control of pests, disease and weeds, and
labor-intensive work in intercropping farms. The system
could thus be more suitable for small-scale farmers..

• Photosynthetic rates of main crop in intercropping
tended to be higher than that of monocultures in our
experiments in summer and winter in 2013-2014.
• Growth of main crop in intercropping, especially plant
height, tended to be higher than that in mono culture
also.
• In our intercropping method, main crop production did
not tend to decrease while extra production of
leguminous crop provided food in summer and forage
in winter.
• All of residues of main and leguminous crops can be
taken as forage. In addition, leguminous crops fixed
Nitrogen and stored them in soil as a residue of plants.
They will be used by crops in the next cultivation.

Therefore, it was estimated the method of
intercropping in our project was so effective to
Nile delta farming.

• Thanks for listening
• My granddaughter
• Heba

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