Intercropping corn and kudzu in a rotation system with soybean

The objective of this study was to evaluate the effects of sowing procedures and the seed sowing rate of kudzu (Pueraria phaseoloides cv. ‘Comum’) in corn on corn plant development, forage dry matter production, weed infestation and soybean plant development and yield. The kudzu seeds were either broadcasted over the terrain or sown in furrows (in the main plots) at rates, in both cases, of 400, 800, 1200 and 1600 points of cultural value (on the subplots). Singly cultivated corn was considered the control treatment. Intercropping did not cause corn plant development to show any significant difference compared with that of the singly cultivated corn plants. When sown in furrows, the number and dry matter contents of the kudzu plants were higher than sowing by broadcasting. The number of plants and the dry matter of the plants increased with the number of seeds. Prior to sowing soybean, the incidence of weeds decreased as the number of kudzu seeds at sowing increased. The intercropping of corn with kudzu benefited soybean plant population, plant height, and grain yield in comparison with the single cultivating of corn in the previous year.