Effect of Conservation Agriculture System on Yield Components and Yield of Sorghum Cultivars ( Sorghum bicolor L), cowpea (Vigna unguiculata ) and Safflower( Carthamus tinctorius )

Abstract

The experiment was carried out for two consecutive rainy seasons, 2018-19 and 2019-20 at Alsabot Village farm the site is located in semi – arid zone, Southern Gedarif mechanized rain-fed area. The study designed in Randomized Complete blocks design replicated fourth time, to determine the effect of conservation agriculture system on yield components and yield of sorghum cultivars ( Sorghum bicolor L), cowpea (Vigna unguiculata ) and safflower( Carthamus tinctorius ).Three crops; sorghum of three cultivars (Wad Ahmed=V1), Tabat=V2 and Wad Baku=V3), cowpea and safflower local varieties were used. The treatments of agricultural systems were; a- conservation agricultural system(CA), zero tillage and after 70% emergence of weeds, first round of spraying using Pre & post emergence herbicides, (by using double disc row precise planter).1- intercropping cowpea (legume crop) between rows of planted sorghum, 2-intercropping of safflower with sorghum ,b- applied of conventional agricultural farming,(CF) by ploughed, leveled and ridged the soils, fertilizers were used, no herbicides, weed controlled by hands weeding. The result of intercropping cowpea and safflower with three cultivars of sorghum under conservation agriculture system(CA) showed highly significant difference for all yield and yield components parameters taken compared with conventional farming system (CF). The result of yield reported the superiority of V1, for intercropping with cowpea under CA (4296.0 kg\ha and2961.3 kg\ ha) than CF (1803.5 kg\ ha) for first and second season, also the same result when intercropped with safflower under CA, V1 obtained were (4161.6 kg\ ha and 2891.3 kg\ha ) for first and second season respectively. Cowpea yield and yield components appear highly significant result among three cultivars of sorghum and the highest value with V1 for number of pods\plant (9.5), weight of pods\ plant (190.9 kg),weight of seeds\plant (79.07 gm)100 seed weight(18.8 gm) and yield (378.25 kg\ha) in first season. In second season there were no significant differences among yield and yield components but yield of V1 revealed high production compared with first season production (583.0 kg\ ha). Safflower intercropped with three cultivars of sorghum in CA showed poor number of plants\m2 and yield for both season, with no significant difference.