Effect of Intercropping and Bio-Fertilizer Application on the Nutrient Uptake and Productivity of Mung Bean and Marjoram

Vahid Mohammadzadeh, Esmaeil Rezaei-Chiyaneh (), Hassan Mahdavikia, Amir Rahimi, Mohammad Gheshlaghi, Martin Leonardo Battaglia and Matthew Tom Harrison
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Vahid Mohammadzadeh: Department of Plant Production and Genetics, Faculty of Agriculture, Urmia University, Urmia P.O. Box 57561-51818, Iran
Esmaeil Rezaei-Chiyaneh: Department of Plant Production and Genetics, Faculty of Agriculture, Urmia University, Urmia P.O. Box 57561-51818, Iran
Hassan Mahdavikia: Department of Medicinal Plants, Shahid Bakeri Higher Education Center of Miandoab, Urmia University, Urmia P.O. Box 57561-51818, Iran
Amir Rahimi: Department of Plant Production and Genetics, Faculty of Agriculture, Urmia University, Urmia P.O. Box 57561-51818, Iran
Mohammad Gheshlaghi: Department of Chromatography, Iranian Academic Center for Education Culture and Research (ACECR), Urmia P.O. Box 57561-51818, Iran
Martin Leonardo Battaglia: Department of Animal Science, Cornell University, Ithaca, NY 14853, USA
Matthew Tom Harrison: Tasmanian Institute of Agriculture, University of Tasmania, Newnham, TAS 7248, Australia

Land, 2022, vol. 11, issue 10, 1-16

Abstract: The adoption of eco-friendly fertilizers is increasingly perceived as a sustainable avenue for improving the quantity and quality of medicinal and aromatic plants. Here, we investigated how intercropping and bio-fertilizer application impacted the productivity and essential oil quality of mung bean and marjoram. Treatments were conducted using mung bean monocropping (MBm) and marjoram monocropping (Om), as well as additive intercropping ratios (100% marjoram + 15% mung bean (O/15MB), 100% marjoram + 30% mung bean (O/30MB), 100% marjoram + 45% mung bean (O/45MB), 100% marjoram + 60% mung bean (O/60MB)), each with/without application of biofertilizers (mycorrhiza fungi and bacteria fertilizer). We found that N, P and K content in marjoram and mung bean was highest in the intercropped O/30MB and O/45MB. The maximum land equivalent ratio (LER) index (1.6) was recorded for the O/15MB treatment following biofertilizer application, indicating that 59% more area in the monocropping treatment would be required to achieve the same yield as for the intercropping treatments. The maximum content of carvacrol, p -cymene and carvacrol methyl ether was obtained for the O/45MB treatment under biofertilizer. These results indicate that intercropping of marjoram/mung bean (especially O/45MB) along with biofertilizer application may pave the way towards more sustainable agronomy for improving essential oil quantity and quality.

Keywords: arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi; bacterial fertilizer; carvacrol; nutrient concentration; sustainable agriculture (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q15 Q2 Q24 Q28 Q5 R14 R52 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
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