RESPONSE OF WHEAT-BASED LEGUME INTERCROPPING SYSTEM TO NITROGEN-FERTILIZER

An experiment was conducted during the winter season of 1989-90 and 19 90-91 to study the response of wheat (Triticum aestivum L. emend. Fior i & Paol.) - based legume intercropping systems to nitrogen under limi ted moisture-availability conditions. Higher values of growth and yiel d attributes (shoots/m. leaf-area index, effective shoots, grains/spik e, grain weight/m) of wheat were recorded in intercropping with legume s than those of sole crops. The highest values were noted in wheat and gran? or chickpea (Cicer ar arietinum L.) in 2 : 2 ratio. Wheat respo nded to N favourably up to 90 kg/ha in terms of yield and yield attrib utes (effective shoots/m and grain yield/m), in legumes, sole crops re corded higher growth and yield attributes and grain yield, Legumes sho wed marked response up to 30 kg N/ha only. Highest total productivity in terms of wheat-equivalent yield was observed in sole chickpea (40.3 q/ha) and sole lentil (45.4 q/ha) in respective years. Among the inte rcropping systems, wheat and chickpea in 2 : 2 ratio recorded the high est wheat-equivalent yield and land-equivalent ratio. The response to N all wheat-equivalent yield was marked up to 30 kg M/ha only.