Yield, Yield Components and Evaluation Indices in Wheat–Chickpea Intercropping as Affected by Different Sowing Methods and Ratios and Biofertilizer Inoculation

The experiment was designed as a split-factorial based on a complete randomized block design during two consecutive growing seasons (2017–2018 and 2018–2019). The main plots were sowing method in two levels (row and mixed sowing) and subplots were five intercropping ratios of wheat and chickpea (75:25, 25:75, 50:50, 100:0 and 0:100) and nitroxin biofertilizer seed inoculation at two levels (inoculation and no inoculation). The 2‑year analysis showed that some yield components and yield of wheat and chickpea significantly increased under the influence of sowing pattern, sowing ratios and inoculation with nitroxin. The row sowing pattern increased the wheat and chickpea yield by 13.68% and 4.12%, respectively. Also, the total seed yield increased with all intercropping ratios and reached a maximum (1269.83 kg ha⁻¹) at the 50:50 ratio. Nitroxin increased the yield of wheat and chickpea seeds by 7.12% and 12.6%, respectively. Furthermore, the maximum land equivalent ratio, competitive ratio, and actual yield loss were obtained using the row sowing pattern and nitroxin. Finally, the maximum land equivalent ratio (1.53) and actual yield loss (1.13) were achieved in the 50:50 sowing ratio and the maximum competitive ratio (2.18) was obtained in the 25:75 ratio.