The potential role of durum wheat–chickpea intercropping in promoting plant growth and yield in low soil phosphorus availability under field conditions

Intercropping is an agroecological practice used to enhance crop yield under environmental constraints, including phosphorus (P) deficiency. Hence, the present study aims at investigating whether durum wheat–chickpea intercropping can enhance plant growth and yield under low P availability. Karim durum wheat (Triticum durum L.) variety and two chickpea (Cicer arietinum L.) varieties [Bochra (BO) and Moubarak (MO)] were grown in field over three growing seasons in different strip: monoculture and intercropping patterns with (45 kg P2O5 ha−1) or without P fertilizer inputs. Results indicated that low P availability significantly (p < 0.001) reduced shoot dry weight (SDW) and root dry weight (RDW), total chlorophyll (Chl) and carotenoids (Car) contents, leaf area index (LAI), maximum quantum yield of photosystem II (Fv/Fm), and yield of both species. However, intercropped chickpea varieties, particularly the BO variety, significantly (p < 0.001) increased SDW by 17