Assessing the Efficacy of Wheat-Soybean Based Intercropping System at Different Plant Densities in Bambili, Cameroon

Wheat is one of the most important cereals in the world, serving as a staple for millions globally. In the wake of the geopolitical crisis between Russia and Ukraine, it has become incumbent for many countries to invest in wheat production. Improving cropping systems for wheat production is paramount. Intercropping cereals with legumes has tremendous advantages. Therefore, this study was designed to optimize wheat production by intercropping it with soybean at different densities. Between March and August 2023, a randomized complete block design trial was conducted in Bambili, North West of Cameroon with treatments T1 (wheat monocrop at 200,000 plants ha−1), T2 (soybean monocrop at 250,000 plants ha−1), T3 (200,000 wheat and 125,000 soybean ha−1), T4 (100,000 wheat and 250,000 soybean ha−1), T5 (200,000 wheat and 250,000 soybean ha−1) and T6 (100,000 wheat and 125,000 soybean ha−1). Results revealed that growth parameters of wheat were not significantly influenced by monocrop or intercrop. The yield of wheat was significantly higher in the monocrop than the intercrop treatments, with slight variation amongst the intercrop treatments. Soybean yield was higher in the monocrop than in the intercrop, with no variations amongst the intercrop treatments. Only the land equivalence ratio (LER) for T5 was greater than 1.0. The competitive ratio for T5 was 0.54 for wheat and 1.90 for soybean, comparatively lower than the other monocrop treatments. Intercropping wheat and soybean at 200,000:250,000 ratio is recommended.

Germination and Survival of Maize and Beans Seeds: Effects of Irrigation with NaCl and Heavy Metals Contaminated Water

Metal toxicity and soil salinity at excessive levels in soils are toxic to plants. The main objective of this study was to demonstrate the effects of water salinity (NaCl) and heavy metal concentration on germination and seedling characteristics of maize and beans seeds. Different concentrations of NaCl (0 to 35000 mg/L) and Zn2+, Cu2+ and Pb2+ with concentrations 0 to 600 μmol/L each were used separately. These solutions were used to irrigate maize and bean seeds for 30 days. Data was taken daily for the following parameters;“the number of germinated seeds, shoot length, shoot circumference, leaf area index, leaf colors, senescence, and disease occurrences.” The crops were uprooted at the end of the 30 days and their wet masses were measured and recorded. Results indicated that seed germination reduced with an increase in the concentration of NaCl for both maize and beans with 0% germination recorded in concentrations > 5000 mg/L. The same trends were observed for other parameters, the shoot length, the leaf area index, and the shoot circumference. “For heavy metals, the trends were similar. Beans growth was more affected by Zn and Cu but maize growth was more affected by Pb.” The dry masses and wet masses of the crops with higher concentrations of metals and salts were very low compared to the control experiments. For the effects of salinity and heavy metals on beans and maize seeds, there was a significant difference (P ≤ 0.001) between all tested concentrations and the control for all growth parameters monitored. It was concluded from the results that salinity and heavy metals affect the germination and seedling characteristics of maize and beans;though some metals are essential, their presence in higher concentrations instead cause harm.