Suppressing weed biomass as influenced by seeding rate in wheat/faba bean intercropping system

Abstract The effect of seeding rate (sr), sulphur fertilization and intercropping on weed suppression in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.)/faba bean (Vicia faba L; bean) intercropping system is not well investigated. Field experiments were carried out to study the effects of wide sr (0-650 wheat seeds/m2; not in all experiment) in addition to the other aforementioned cultural practices on weed suppression or weed biomass. Without the application of herbicide, weeds were suppressed well at the higher wheat sr under both the conventional and organic management system. However, in three other conventional experiments when herbicide was applied these benefits were reduced substantially. Averaged across wheat sr in one-experiment weed biomasses found were 185 g/m2 and 36 g/m2 for without and with bean treatment respectively. However, for the combined effects of wheat sr and bean treatment, compared to the sole crop with the highest wheat sr, intercropping was poorer than sole crop in controlling weeds, in several but not all experiments. Nevertheless in one experiment at 10-wheat seeds/m2, weed biomass were 336 g/m2 and 53 g/m2 for the wheat sole crop and intercrop (40-bean seeds/m2) respectively. Thus, illustrating the practical benefits of using both sr and intercropping to suppress weeds at the lower densities. Sulphur fertilization had less effect on weed biomass. In general, this research suggests that weeds have the capacity to reduce crop resource use at the lower densities. Consequently, it is necessary to control weeds by manipulating sr and/or intercropping to allow more resources to be intercepted by the crop.