Effect of Nitrogen on Yield of Wheat Intercropped with Faba Bean

Efficient nitrogen (N) management is essential for optimizing cereal-legume intercropping systems in semi-arid South Asia, where suboptimal N supply can suppress yield and yield of both legume and cereal crop.A field experiment was conducted during the 2023-2024 Rabi season at the Agronomy Research Farm, The University of Agriculture, Peshawar, Pakistan, to evaluate the effect of three nitrogen rates (0, 80 and 120 kg ha -1 ) on wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) and faba bean (Vicia faba L.) which were planted as sole crops and intercropped.The trial was carried out in a factorial arrangement under randomized complete block design with three replications.Wheat generally performed better in monoculture than in intercrop, with higher spikes m -2 , grains spike -1 , thousand-grain weight, biological yield, grain yield and harvest index.Nitrogen application at the rate of 120 kg ha -1 significantly enhanced wheat performance across systems.Intercropping of wheat-faba bean with application of 120 kg N ha -1 also maximized intercropping advantages, producing the highest relative crowding coefficient (3.58), relative yield total (1.30) and land equivalent ratio (1.30).Economic analysis indicated greater profitability for wheat + faba bean with the application of 120 kg N ha -1 (value-cost ratio, VCR = 4.23).Overall, 120 kg N ha -1 was optimal for both sole and intercropped systems, improving yield performance, land use efficiency and profitability.Findings support adoption of wheat-faba bean intercropping with adequate N (120 kg ha -1 ) supply in similar agro-ecologies to enhance resource-use efficiency and farm income.