Cropping Systems of Fenugreek with Faba Bean to Reduce Broomrape Infestation

Background: Broomrape (Orobanche crenata Forsk.) is a major threat to faba bean and an important danger parasite. An intercropping is a necessity to curb the spread and progress of the parasite before it leads to much more economic losses. The current study was aimed to evaluate intercropping of fenugreek with faba bean under two plant densities of both crops on broomrape incidence to increase faba bean yield, land usage and economic return in heavy soil infestation of broomrape. Methods: This study was carried out at Giza Agricultural Research Station (Lat. 30°00′30″ N, Long. 31°12′43″ E, 26 m a.s.l), Agricultural Research Center, Giza, Egypt. During the winter season of 2017/2018 and 2018/2019 seasons, sixteen treatments were the combinations between two ridge widths (60 “narrow” and 120 cm “wide”) and six cropping systems (50% faba bean + 50% fenugreek, 100% faba bean + 50% fenugreek, 50% faba bean + 100% fenugreek, 100% faba bean + 100% fenugreek, 50% sole faba bean and 100% sole faba bean), as well as sole plantings of fenugreek under heavy soil infestation of broomrape. A split-plot design with three replicates was used. Ridge widths were assigned in the main plots and cropping systems were arranged in sub plots. Result: Growing faba bean plants in wide ridges had physical barriers with stamping of the vascular system against the parasite. 50% faba bean + 100% fenugreek had higher soil total phenols in faba bean rhizosphere than the others. Growing 50% faba bean + 100% fenugreek in wide ridges had lower number of spikes per m2 and spikes dry weight per m2, meanwhile, growing 100% faba bean + 100% fenugreek in wide ridges had higher seed yields of both crops per ha, land usage and economic return. Growing two rows of faba bean (100% of sole cropping) in both sides of wide ridge (120 cm width) with four rows of fenugreek (100% of sole cropping) in middle of the ridge could be an integrated control strategy to increase faba bean productivity, land usage and economic return under heavily soil infested of broomrape.