Grain yield and quality components of pure and mixed cropping of bread wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) and triticale (X Triticosecale Wittmack)

Abstract

This research was carried out to determine the advantages of mixed cropping of bread wheat (BW) and triticale (T) compared to pure cropping, during three cropping years, under the East Mediterranean Region of Turkey. Bread wheat and triticale mixtures were arranged in a ratio as 100:0, 80:20, 60:40, 40:60, 20:80 and 0:100. Sowing rates were 550 seed m-2 for all plots. According to the results, grain weight per head (GW H-1), grain number per head (GN H-1), ratio of grains in mixed cropping (RGMC) of BW, protein ration (PR) and dry gluten (DG) amount of products were significantly decreased by increasing of T plants in the mixed cropping plots, compared to pure cropping of BW. Triticale was the highest yielding (9250 kg ha-1) component of mixed cropping. Contributions of triticale plants were also significant for grain yield of mixtures. In addition, relative yield total (RYT) and indices of inter-specific competition (Rbwt and Rtbw) indicated that, mixed cropping of BW and T did not have any advantages for GY over the pure cropping of triticale. The year x mixed cropping interaction was only significant for GN H-1.