Effect of maize+soybean intercropping on their productivity

The greatest challenge of 21th century in many developing countries is to produce the basic demand of food, fodder, fuel and fibre for ever increasing population from decreasing availability of agricultural land due to continuous increase in demands for various non-agricultural purposes. Hence, one of the most important strategy to increase agricultural production through adoption of high intensity cropping systems including various form of intercrops. Inclusion of legumes like soybean as one of the component of intercrops will be helpful for sustaining soil fertility, solving the problem of protein malnutrition. Maize is one of the major food-grain crops occupying third position after wheat and rice in cereals production in the world. It is a widely grown cereal and is categorized as the primary food of many developing countries.