Effect of 3-methyl phenol at different rates of irrigation and intercropping on water consumption, and yield of wheat and faba-bean

A pot experiment was conducted to investigate the effect of 3-methyl phenol and the rate of irrigation on water consumption and yield of wheat and faba-bean in monocropping and intercropping systems. Irrigation was done to keep soil water contents to be 45%, 60% and 75% of field capacity at 3-methyl phenol concentration of 300 × 10^-6mol·kg^-1. Results show that the total water consumption of wheat and faba-bean under intercropping is 12.87% ～ 31.56% lower than that for wheat and faba-bean under monocropping. Allelopathic effect (AE) of 3-methyl phenol on water consumption of different crops is insignificant; but irrigation rate, and cropping pattern are significant correlated with total water consumption. 3-methyl phenol negatively affects yield of wheat and faba-bean, but that effect on wheat is weakened by enhanced irrigation rate, while 3-methyl phenol AE on faba-bean yield under different irrigation rates is not significantly different. Both biological and economic yield of intercropping systems increases by 15.3% ～ 37.41% and 5.98% ～31.27% respectively, in comparison with monocropped wheat and faba-bean yield. Intercropping as well weakens the negative effect of 3-methyl phenol AE on faba-bean yield.