Study on effect of soybean and tea intercropping on yield and yield components of soybean and tea

Shahram Sedaghathoor and Gholamreza Janatpoor

The factorial experiment (2×2×3) was done over five years to survey the best planting and density patterns of two cultivars of soybean in a cleanly pruned tea plantation. The effects of these three factors were studied on soybean and tea yield and yield ingredients. The first factor (i.e., soybean cultivars) was distributed in two levels including Williams and Williams Chipava cultivars, as well as second factor (i.e., planting pattern) was doled out in two levels including single and double row planting. The third factor (density of planting) contained 12, 17 and 22 plants per m^-2. The results showed that planting pattern and interaction of "cultivar × density" had significant effect (p<0.01) on soybean yield. Based on mean comparison, maximum yield of soybean was obtained under single-row planting. On the other hand, single-row planting of "Williams Chipava" cultivar with 22 plants m^-2 had the highest yield. While Williams's cultivar produced minimum yield by 12 and 22 plants m^-2, respectively. Planting pattern resulted in tea yield rising (p<0.01). The highest tea yield gained by double-row soybean planting.