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2026, 16(1): 75-99 |
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Nojoki M, Yadavi A R, Movahhedi Dehnavi M, Mahlooji M, Ebrahimi F. Improving Nutritional Indices of Safflower (Carthamus tinctorius L.) and Mung Bean (Vigna radiata L.) through Application of Chemical and Biological Nitrogen Fertilizers in Intercropping. Journal of Crop Production and Processing 2026; 16 (1) :75-99
URL: http://jcpp.iut.ac.ir/article-1-3389-en.html
URL: http://jcpp.iut.ac.ir/article-1-3389-en.html
Department of Agronomy and Plant Breeding, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Yasouj, Yasouj, Iran. , yadavi@yu.ac.ir
Abstract: (51 Views)
Extended Abstract:
Background and Objectives: In recent decades, the expansion of intensive agricultural systems and the excessive application of chemical nitrogen fertilizers have resulted in serious environmental problems such as nitrate leaching, groundwater contamination, and reduced nitrogen use efficiency. Therefore, developing sustainable cropping systems that improve nutrient uptake while reducing chemical fertilizer dependency has become a major challenge in modern agriculture. Intercropping systems, particularly those involving legume and non-legume species, have been widely recognized as effective strategies for enhancing resource use efficiency through complementary interactions in root systems, nutrient acquisition, and growth dynamics. Safflower (Carthamus tinctorius L.) is an important oilseed crop adapted to arid and semi-arid regions, valued for its high content of unsaturated fatty acids and its tolerance to drought and salinity. Mung bean (Vigna radiata L.), as a leguminous crop, plays a crucial role in biological nitrogen fixation and improving soil fertility. The integration of these two species in intercropping systems may enhance nutritional quality, improve nitrogen efficiency, and contribute to sustainable crop production. In addition, the use of biological nitrogen fertilizers such as Nitroxin, containing Azotobacter and Azospirillum, has attracted considerable attention due to their ability to fix atmospheric nitrogen, stimulate root growth, and increase nutrient availability. However, limited information is available regarding the combined effects of intercropping patterns and integrated application of chemical and biological nitrogen fertilizers on nutritional indices and nitrogen efficiency in safflower–mung bean systems. Therefore, the objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of different nitrogen fertilizer regimes and replacement intercropping patterns on nutrient concentration, yield components, oil yield, and nitrogen use efficiency of safflower and mung bean.
Materials and Methods: This experiment was conducted during the 2020 growing season at the Kabutarabad Research Farm, Isfahan, Iran, using a split-plot arrangement based on a randomized complete block design with three replications. The main plot treatments consisted of three nitrogen fertilizer levels: no nitrogen application (control), integrated application of 50 kg N ha⁻¹ combined with Nitroxin biofertilizer, and 100 kg N ha⁻¹ as chemical fertilizer. Subplots included five cropping patterns: safflower monoculture, mung bean monoculture, and replacement intercropping ratios of 1:1, 2:1, and 1:2 (Safflower: mung bean). Seeds of both crops were inoculated with Nitroxin biofertilizer prior to planting. Nitrogen fertilizer was applied in split doses according to crop growth stages, while phosphorus fertilizer was uniformly applied based on soil test results. Nutritional elements including nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, iron, and zinc were measured in both shoot and seed samples. Grain yield, oil percentage, and oil yield of safflower were determined at maturity. Nitrogen use efficiency indices, including Nitrogen Use Efficiency (NUE), Nitrogen Uptake Efficiency (NUPtE), and Nitrogen Harvest Index (NHI), were calculated using standard formulas.
Results: The results indicated that the highest percentage of nutritional elements (N, P, K, Fe, Zn) in the shoot and seed of both plants was obtained from the combined application of 50 kg N ha⁻¹ + Nitroxin, which in most cases was not significantly different from the application of 100 kg N ha⁻¹ alone. For safflower, the 1:2 intercropping pattern (one row of safflower: two rows of mung bean) and for mung bean, the 1:1 pattern (one row of mung bean: one row of safflower) were the superior patterns in terms of nutrient concentration. However, the highest grain and oil yield in safflower and the highest grain yield in mung bean were achieved under monoculture conditions with the application of the combined treatment (50 kg N ha⁻¹ + Nitroxin). Interestingly, the highest oil percentage in safflower seeds (22.78%) was observed in monoculture and under conditions of no nitrogen application. With increasing nitrogen fertilizer application, the Nitrogen Harvest Index (NHI) increased in both plants, but Nitrogen Use Efficiency (NUE) and Nitrogen Uptake Efficiency (NUPtE) decreased. The highest NUE and NUPtE values were recorded in the monoculture of both plants and under the combined bio-chemical fertilizer treatment. The results demonstrated that the integrated application of chemical and biological nitrogen fertilizer (50 kg N ha⁻¹ + Nitroxin) significantly improved the concentration of essential nutrients (N, P, K, Fe, and Zn) in both shoot and seed of safflower and mung bean. In most cases, these values were statistically comparable to those obtained under the application of 100 kg N ha⁻¹, indicating the potential for reducing chemical nitrogen input by half. For safflower, the intercropping pattern of one row of safflower with two rows of mung bean resulted in the highest nutrient concentrations, while for mung bean; the 1:1 intercropping pattern was superior. However, the highest grain yield and oil yield of safflower, as well as the highest grain yield of mung bean, were observed under monoculture conditions combined with the integrated fertilizer treatment. This suggests that although intercropping enhanced nutritional quality, yield performance was more favorable in monoculture due to reduced interspecific competition. Increasing nitrogen fertilizer levels led to an increase in Nitrogen Harvest Index, while Nitrogen Use Efficiency and Nitrogen Uptake Efficiency decreased in both crops. The highest NUE and NUPtE were obtained under the integrated fertilizer treatment, particularly in monoculture systems, indicating more efficient utilization of applied nitrogen when biofertilizers were included. Oil percentage in safflower seeds was highest in the control treatment and decreased with increasing nitrogen application, reflecting the inverse relationship between nitrogen availability and oil accumulation.
Conclusion: Overall, the findings of this study highlight the important role of integrated nutrient management and intercropping systems in sustainable agriculture. Although safflower: mung bean intercropping improved nutritional quality and nutrient concentration in plant tissues, monoculture systems produced higher grain and oil yields. The combined application of 50 kg N ha⁻¹ with Nitroxin biofertilizer proved to be an effective strategy for maintaining yield and quality while significantly reducing chemical nitrogen fertilizer consumption. Therefore, the integrated use of biological and chemical nitrogen fertilizers, along with the appropriate selection of intercropping patterns, particularly one row of safflower with two rows of mung bean, can be recommended as a practical approach for improving nutrient efficiency and promoting environmentally friendly crop production in arid and semi-arid regions.
Background and Objectives: In recent decades, the expansion of intensive agricultural systems and the excessive application of chemical nitrogen fertilizers have resulted in serious environmental problems such as nitrate leaching, groundwater contamination, and reduced nitrogen use efficiency. Therefore, developing sustainable cropping systems that improve nutrient uptake while reducing chemical fertilizer dependency has become a major challenge in modern agriculture. Intercropping systems, particularly those involving legume and non-legume species, have been widely recognized as effective strategies for enhancing resource use efficiency through complementary interactions in root systems, nutrient acquisition, and growth dynamics. Safflower (Carthamus tinctorius L.) is an important oilseed crop adapted to arid and semi-arid regions, valued for its high content of unsaturated fatty acids and its tolerance to drought and salinity. Mung bean (Vigna radiata L.), as a leguminous crop, plays a crucial role in biological nitrogen fixation and improving soil fertility. The integration of these two species in intercropping systems may enhance nutritional quality, improve nitrogen efficiency, and contribute to sustainable crop production. In addition, the use of biological nitrogen fertilizers such as Nitroxin, containing Azotobacter and Azospirillum, has attracted considerable attention due to their ability to fix atmospheric nitrogen, stimulate root growth, and increase nutrient availability. However, limited information is available regarding the combined effects of intercropping patterns and integrated application of chemical and biological nitrogen fertilizers on nutritional indices and nitrogen efficiency in safflower–mung bean systems. Therefore, the objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of different nitrogen fertilizer regimes and replacement intercropping patterns on nutrient concentration, yield components, oil yield, and nitrogen use efficiency of safflower and mung bean.
Materials and Methods: This experiment was conducted during the 2020 growing season at the Kabutarabad Research Farm, Isfahan, Iran, using a split-plot arrangement based on a randomized complete block design with three replications. The main plot treatments consisted of three nitrogen fertilizer levels: no nitrogen application (control), integrated application of 50 kg N ha⁻¹ combined with Nitroxin biofertilizer, and 100 kg N ha⁻¹ as chemical fertilizer. Subplots included five cropping patterns: safflower monoculture, mung bean monoculture, and replacement intercropping ratios of 1:1, 2:1, and 1:2 (Safflower: mung bean). Seeds of both crops were inoculated with Nitroxin biofertilizer prior to planting. Nitrogen fertilizer was applied in split doses according to crop growth stages, while phosphorus fertilizer was uniformly applied based on soil test results. Nutritional elements including nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, iron, and zinc were measured in both shoot and seed samples. Grain yield, oil percentage, and oil yield of safflower were determined at maturity. Nitrogen use efficiency indices, including Nitrogen Use Efficiency (NUE), Nitrogen Uptake Efficiency (NUPtE), and Nitrogen Harvest Index (NHI), were calculated using standard formulas.
Results: The results indicated that the highest percentage of nutritional elements (N, P, K, Fe, Zn) in the shoot and seed of both plants was obtained from the combined application of 50 kg N ha⁻¹ + Nitroxin, which in most cases was not significantly different from the application of 100 kg N ha⁻¹ alone. For safflower, the 1:2 intercropping pattern (one row of safflower: two rows of mung bean) and for mung bean, the 1:1 pattern (one row of mung bean: one row of safflower) were the superior patterns in terms of nutrient concentration. However, the highest grain and oil yield in safflower and the highest grain yield in mung bean were achieved under monoculture conditions with the application of the combined treatment (50 kg N ha⁻¹ + Nitroxin). Interestingly, the highest oil percentage in safflower seeds (22.78%) was observed in monoculture and under conditions of no nitrogen application. With increasing nitrogen fertilizer application, the Nitrogen Harvest Index (NHI) increased in both plants, but Nitrogen Use Efficiency (NUE) and Nitrogen Uptake Efficiency (NUPtE) decreased. The highest NUE and NUPtE values were recorded in the monoculture of both plants and under the combined bio-chemical fertilizer treatment. The results demonstrated that the integrated application of chemical and biological nitrogen fertilizer (50 kg N ha⁻¹ + Nitroxin) significantly improved the concentration of essential nutrients (N, P, K, Fe, and Zn) in both shoot and seed of safflower and mung bean. In most cases, these values were statistically comparable to those obtained under the application of 100 kg N ha⁻¹, indicating the potential for reducing chemical nitrogen input by half. For safflower, the intercropping pattern of one row of safflower with two rows of mung bean resulted in the highest nutrient concentrations, while for mung bean; the 1:1 intercropping pattern was superior. However, the highest grain yield and oil yield of safflower, as well as the highest grain yield of mung bean, were observed under monoculture conditions combined with the integrated fertilizer treatment. This suggests that although intercropping enhanced nutritional quality, yield performance was more favorable in monoculture due to reduced interspecific competition. Increasing nitrogen fertilizer levels led to an increase in Nitrogen Harvest Index, while Nitrogen Use Efficiency and Nitrogen Uptake Efficiency decreased in both crops. The highest NUE and NUPtE were obtained under the integrated fertilizer treatment, particularly in monoculture systems, indicating more efficient utilization of applied nitrogen when biofertilizers were included. Oil percentage in safflower seeds was highest in the control treatment and decreased with increasing nitrogen application, reflecting the inverse relationship between nitrogen availability and oil accumulation.
Conclusion: Overall, the findings of this study highlight the important role of integrated nutrient management and intercropping systems in sustainable agriculture. Although safflower: mung bean intercropping improved nutritional quality and nutrient concentration in plant tissues, monoculture systems produced higher grain and oil yields. The combined application of 50 kg N ha⁻¹ with Nitroxin biofertilizer proved to be an effective strategy for maintaining yield and quality while significantly reducing chemical nitrogen fertilizer consumption. Therefore, the integrated use of biological and chemical nitrogen fertilizers, along with the appropriate selection of intercropping patterns, particularly one row of safflower with two rows of mung bean, can be recommended as a practical approach for improving nutrient efficiency and promoting environmentally friendly crop production in arid and semi-arid regions.
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