Knowledge of the impacts of sorghum-cowpea intercropping

The gap

Evidence profile

Sourced from the abstract and conclusions and stated research gap of the source papers, classified as general, drawn from work published between 2009 and 2026, spanning 5 journals. Those papers have been cited 53 times in total.

Supporting evidence — 8 representative gaps

• Interspecific competition and productivity in a dryland silage maize/alfalfa intercropping system (2023) · Food and Energy Security · cited 11× · doi

  Abstract Cereal–legume intercropping has the potential to reduce the use of nitrogen (N) fertilizer and increase forage yield and quality, however, how to optimize system design to fully realize interspecific complementary and enhance crop production in an annual and perennial crops intercropping was not well understood.

  generalabstractevidence 5/5
  Keywords: intercropping abstract cereal legume potential reduce nitrogen fertilizer increase forage yield quality optimize system design
• Cereal-legume intercrops overlay doubled-up legumes in biological nitrogen fixation (BNF), water use efficiency (WUE) and crop productivity: A meta-analysis (2026) · African Journal of Agricultural Research · doi

  Therefore, it is recommended that further studies on doubled-up legumes intercropping can be done to justify their exact impact on WUE, yield, and BNF in the future.

  generalconclusionsevidence 5/5
  Keywords: recommended further doubled legumes intercropping done justify exact impact yield future
• Cereal-legume intercrops overlay doubled-up legumes in biological nitrogen fixation (BNF), water use efficiency (WUE) and crop productivity: A meta-analysis (2026) · African Journal of Agricultural Research · doi

  There is a gap in understanding the effects of cereal-legume intercropping on BNF, WUE, and yield. Prior work has focused on the effects of intercropping on crop productivity, but not specifically on BNF, WUE, and yield.

  generalstated research gapevidence 5/5
  Keywords: there gap understanding effects cereal-legume intercropping bnf wue
• Qualitative effects of pea and spring cereals intercrop in the organic farming systems (2009) · Agronomy Research

  The experimental evidence is still inconclusive to firmly suggest which of the intercrops could be more stable, however it indicates the benefits of legumes for spring crops grown together.

  generalabstractevidence 4/5
  Keywords: experimental evidence still inconclusive firmly suggest intercrops stable indicates benefits legumes spring crops grown together
• Yield and nitrogen uptake of sole and intercropped maize and peanut in response to N fertilizer input (2019) · Food and Energy Security · cited 41× · doi

  Cereal/legume intercropping is a potential pathway to lower fertilizer inputs, but there is insufficient knowledge on the nitrogen (N) response in species mixtures.

  generalabstractevidence 4/5
  Keywords: cereal legume intercropping potential pathway lower fertilizer inputs there insufficient knowledge nitrogen response species mixtures
• Enhancing Cropping System Productivity and Soil Properties Through Cotton/Peanut Intercropping With Optimized Row Configurations (2026) · Food and Energy Security · doi

  However, varying row configurations in intercropping systems can directly alter soil properties and crop productivity, and existing research findings remain inconsistent due to differences in experimental sites and agronomic management practices.

  generalabstractevidence 4/5
  Keywords: varying configurations intercropping systems directly alter soil properties crop productivity existing remain inconsistent differences experimental
• Response of Intercropping Sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L. Moench) with Cowpea and Nitrogen Application on Growth and Yield of Sorghum (2024) · Bulletin of University of Agricultural Sciences and Veterinary Medicine Cluj-Napoca Agriculture · cited 1× · doi

  However, knowledge of the impacts of sorghum-cowpea intercropping, nitrogen usage, and their interactions on companion crop performance is lacking.

  generalabstractevidence 3/5
  Keywords: knowledge impacts sorghum cowpea intercropping nitrogen usage interactions companion crop performance lacking
• Agronomic and economic benefits of maize–legume intercropping under reduced fertilizer levels in Nepal (2026) · Discover Plants · doi

  There is a lack of research on maize-legume intercropping under reduced fertilizer levels in Nepal. The potential of intercropping to improve land productivity and farm income is not well understood.

  generalstated research gapevidence 3/5
  Keywords: there lack research maize-legume intercropping reduced fertilizer levels

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