Journal of Crop Production and Processing

In order to assess the effect of nitrogen application and planting methods on linseed and berseem clover yield and yield components in an intercropping system an experiment was conducted as a split plot based on randomized complete block design with three replications at the Research Farm of College of Agriculture, Isfahan University of Technology, Isfahan, Iran in 2013. Experimental factors included three levels of nitrogen (zero, 30 and 60 kg ha^-1) as main plots and linseed and berseem clover planting methods in 4 levels (pure culture of linseed, berseem clover monoculture, mixed cropping) (50%:50%), intercropping row) 50%:50%)) as sub-plots. Results showed that different levels of nitrogen had no effect on the main stem, seed weight and harvest index of both plants, but the number of lateral branches, number of capsules per plant (linseed), inflorescences number per plant (berseem clover), number of seeds per capsules (linseed), biological yield and grain yield were affected by nitrogen fertilizer. Among the methods of planting, pure cultures of linseed and berseem clover with 1604 and 830 kg ha^-1 had the highest yield, respectively. Significant difference between treatments was found in the land equivalent ratio, but the highest land equivalent ratio, was archived at 30 kg nitrogen fertilizer application (1.35) and row intercropping treatment (1.32), respectively. According to the results of this research, the use of berseem clover as a nitrogen-fixing plant, intercropped with linseed under 30 kg of nitrogen application per hectare could, probably, be useful for achieving an appropriate grain yield.