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Effects of Maize-Soyabean Row Orientation and Intercropping Patterns on Soyabean Seed Quality and Quantity
Thesis (MScAgric)--Stellenbosch University, 2026.
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| Format: | Thesis |
| Language: | English |
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Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University
2026
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| _version_ | 1867614130054103040 |
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| access_status_str | Open Access |
| author | Shaikh, Azharuddin |
| author2 | Swanepoel, Pieter |
| author_browse | Shaikh, Azharuddin Swanepoel, Pieter |
| author_facet | Swanepoel, Pieter Shaikh, Azharuddin |
| author_sort | Shaikh, Azharuddin |
| collection | Thesis |
| dc_rights_str_mv | Stellenbosch University |
| description | Thesis (MScAgric)--Stellenbosch University, 2026. |
| format | Thesis |
| id | oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/135856 |
| institution | Stellenbosch University (South Africa) |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2026-06-10T12:47:08.513Z |
| license_str | Other — see source repository |
| provenance_str_mv | Harvested via OAI-PMH from SUNScholar — Stellenbosch University Repository |
| publishDate | 2026 |
| publishDateRange | 2026 |
| publishDateSort | 2026 |
| publisher | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| publisherStr | Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| record_format | dspace |
| source_str | SUNScholar — Stellenbosch University Repository |
| spelling | oai:scholar.sun.ac.za:10019.1/135856 Effects of Maize-Soyabean Row Orientation and Intercropping Patterns on Soyabean Seed Quality and Quantity Shaikh, Azharuddin Swanepoel, Pieter MacLaren, Chloe Badza, Taruvinga Stellenbosch University. Faculty of AgriSciences. Dept. of Agronomy. Thesis (MScAgric)--Stellenbosch University, 2026. Shaikh, A. 2026. Effects of Maize-Soyabean Row Orientation and Intercropping Patterns on Soyabean Seed Quality and Quantity. Unpublished masters thesis. Stellenbosch: Stellenbosch University [online]. Available: https://scholar.sun.ac.za/items/f5187a82-870e-4836-967e-84de16471d9f Optimising light interception is crucial for smallholder farming systems in Southern Africa, where resource efficiency is paramount for ensuring food security. While maize-soyabean intercropping is a widely used strategy for sustainable intensification, the specific physiological effects of row orientation and planting pattern on canopy Photosynthetically Active Radiation (PAR) and subsequent seed quality remain largely unexplored. The objectives of this study were to quantify the relationship between row orientation and solar irradiance within the soyabean canopy, using PAR as a metric, and to investigate the impact of shading and planting patterns on grain yield and quality (oil and protein). The study involved two experiments conducted in different agro-ecological zones. The first experiment was conducted in the Caledon region of the Western Cape, South Africa, employing a split-plot design to compare North-South (N-S) and East-West (E-W) orientations across three intercropping treatments: single row (1M1S), double row (2M2S), and strip crop (3M3S). The second experiment took place in the Eastern Province of Zambia, specifically in the Chipata and Nyanje districts, where it compared E-W and Diagonal row orientations with varying bandwidths (1M1S, 2M3S, and 4M4S). In both trials, incoming PAR, soil moisture levels, plant height, were measured at early (25 DAE) and late (100 DAE) growth stages together with yield at the end of the trial. The results revealed that canopy closure and growth stage significantly influenced light dynamics. Notably, no significant differences in PAR were observed at 25 DAE, but significant interaction effects emerged by 100 DAE. In Zambia, the Diagonal orientation demonstrated superior light interception compared to the E-W blocks and exhibited higher and more consistent soil moisture levels. Conversely, in Caledon, the E-W orientation positively impacted light availability within the lower canopy. Across all treatments, the available PAR increased as the soyabean bandwidth expanded (from 1M1S to 4M4S). Evidence of shade avoidance syndrome (SAS) was observed in the 1M1S plots, where soyabean plants grew taller but had weaker stems and poor development due to the lack of sunlight. The intercropping pattern and orientation significantly influenced the nutritional profile of the harvest. Higher light availability in the canopy favoured protein synthesis over oil content in soyabean, likely due to enhanced nitrogen assimilation. In terms of yield, the wider bandwidths (4M4S/Strip cropping) resulted in the highest soyabean grain yields, which corresponded with the higher PAR interception. Notably, maize yield and quality remained unaffected by row orientation or intercropping type, demonstrating the crop’s stability as a staple in these systems. However, the Land Equivalent Ratio (LER) for the intercropping systems did not exceed 1, indicating that while nutritional quality can be manipulated, the systems did not strictly outperform monocultures in terms of total biomass efficiency. Masters 2026-04-13T12:49:40Z 2026-04-13T12:49:40Z 2026-03 Thesis https://scholar.sun.ac.za/handle/10019.1/135856 en Stellenbosch University 73 pages application/pdf Stellenbosch : Stellenbosch University |
| spellingShingle | Shaikh, Azharuddin Effects of Maize-Soyabean Row Orientation and Intercropping Patterns on Soyabean Seed Quality and Quantity |
| title | Effects of Maize-Soyabean Row Orientation and Intercropping Patterns on Soyabean Seed Quality and Quantity |
| title_full | Effects of Maize-Soyabean Row Orientation and Intercropping Patterns on Soyabean Seed Quality and Quantity |
| title_fullStr | Effects of Maize-Soyabean Row Orientation and Intercropping Patterns on Soyabean Seed Quality and Quantity |
| title_full_unstemmed | Effects of Maize-Soyabean Row Orientation and Intercropping Patterns on Soyabean Seed Quality and Quantity |
| title_short | Effects of Maize-Soyabean Row Orientation and Intercropping Patterns on Soyabean Seed Quality and Quantity |
| title_sort | effects of maize soyabean row orientation and intercropping patterns on soyabean seed quality and quantity |
| url | https://scholar.sun.ac.za/handle/10019.1/135856 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT shaikhazharuddin effectsofmaizesoyabeanroworientationandintercroppingpatternsonsoyabeanseedqualityandquantity |