Application of bio and chemical fertilizers improves yield, and essential oil quantity and quality of Moldavian balm (Dracocephalum moldavica L.) intercropped with mung bean (Vigna radiata L.)

A two-year field study was conducted to determine the effects of biofertilizer application with chemical fertilizers on yield and quality parameters of intercrops in Moldavian balm mung bean intercropping. The highest seed yields for MG (1189  kg/ha) and MB (7027 kg/ha) occurred in the pure stands fertilized with NPK+BF, while 3MB:2MG fertilized with NPK+BF had the highest macro/micronutrient concentrations. The MB essential oil comprised geranyl acetate (30–39%), geranial (20–31%), neral (18–24%), and geraniol (3–8%). AbstractIntercropping Moldavian balm with mung bean is an ecological approach for improving resource productivity. A field experiment was conducted over two growing seasons (2018 and 2019) to determine the effect of fertilizer application on yield and essential oil (EO) productivity of Moldavian balm intercropped with mung bean. The experiment had a two-factor randomized complete block design (RCBD) with three replicates. The first factor comprised of five cropping patterns: Moldavian balm sole crop (MBs), mung bean sole crop (MGs), one row each of Moldavian balm +mung bean (1MB:1MG), two rows each of Moldavian balm +mung bean (2MB:2MG), and three rows of Moldavian balm +two rows of mung bean (3MB:2MG). The second factor comprised four fertilizer sources: no fertilizer application (C, control), 100% chemical fertilizer (NPK), 50% chemical fertilizer +100% bacterial fertilizer (NPK+BF), and 100% bacterial fertilizer +100% mycorrhizal fungi (BF+MF). The...
Source: Food and Energy Security - Category: Food Science Authors: Tags: ORIGINAL RESEARCH Source Type: research