Maize and soybean intercropping under different seed rates of soybean under ecological condition of Bilecik, Turkey

This study investigated to detect the suitable planting patterns for intercropped maize with soybean without changing the sowing rate of maize on agronomic characters and forage yield and to evaluate the advantages of the intercropping system in Bilecik ecological condition, in 2015 and 2016 growing seasons. The research was planned as containing five different intercropping systems with three replications at Bilecik location. Also for control purposes, pure maize and pure soybean parcels were created within these intercropping systems. The result in this study of the main effect of increasing soybean ratio in maize and soybean intercropping systems indicated that maize forage yield per unit area improved in both growing seasons. In intercrops, crude protein (CP), acid detergent fiber (ADF) and neutral detergent fiber (NDF) concentration were changed by soybean contribution, since ADF and NDF values of intercropping systems were lower than those of pure maize. An increase in CP concentration and a decrease in fiber value (ADF, NDF) in soybean get better forage quality of intercropped assessment and significantly contribute to improving forage quality with regard to energy, ADF and NDF. In addition to the land equivalent ratio higher intercrops than pure plants. The result of the study also indicated that farmers would produce more forage by intercropping MZ+70%SB pattern system than sole cropping of the plants.