effects of planting patterns (mixed and intercropping) and millet plant density on yield and forage yield components of millet and soybean under mashhad weather conditions

intercropping is one of the most important approaches for sustainable agricultural production. in order to evaluate the effect of planting patterns and millet density on forage yield of millet and soybean, an experiment was conducted in the research farm of faculty of agriculture, ferdowsi university of mashhad during the 2007-2008 growing season. the experiment was performed as factorial based on randomized complete block design with three replications. factors included three planting patterns (sole cropping, intercropping and mixed cropping) and three millet densities (25, 30 and 35 plant per m2). soybean sole cropping was avoided because the millet was the base plant. the results indicated that fresh and dry forage yield was higher in intercropping compare with sole cropping and mixed cropping. the highest amount of fresh and dry forage was obtained in 35 millet plant per m2 treatment. the planting patterns and millet plant density had no significant effect on all morphological characteristics. monetary equivalent ratio (mer) was higher (61%) in row intercropping with 30 millet plant per m2 compared to sole crop. in general, row intercropping of millet and soybean with 30 millet plants per m2 was an appropriate planting pattern and density when compared with millet sole cropping