Mono-cropping cannot ensure stability in production. The need for increased production, to some extent, can be achieved through intercropping as two or more crops can be grown simultaneously in the same field.

In modern farming, intercropping increases productivity and income per unit area/time and also enhances land fertility and water-use efficiency especially under small holding conditions in irrigated as well as in rain-fed areas. It provides farmers with a variety of returns from land and labour, increases efficient use of scarce resources and reduces the failure risk of a single crop susceptible to environmental and economic fluctuations. A mixture of cereals and legumes usually give higher yield than their respective sole crops.

Intercropping of legume with a cereal improves the nitrogenous nutrition of the cereal crop by direct transfer of nitrogen from the root legume to cereal. Legumes, with their adaptability to different cropping patterns and their ability to fix nitrogen in their root nodules, may offer opportunities to sustain increased productivity.

Therefore, productivity can be greatly enhanced by inclusion of a legume in a cropping system. Legume intercrops are also potential sources of plant nutrients that complement/supplement inorganic fertilisers. They should be included in cropping systems because they also reduce soil erosion.

The minor crops contribute 12 per cent to the overall agricultural production in the country. The most commonly grown winter cereal and pulse crops are wheat and chickpea. About 81 per cent of gram area lies in Punjab followed by NWFP and Sindh. Pakistan is the third largest gram producing country in the world after India and Turkey.

Although the area under gram cultivation decreased slightly last year, the overall production increased from 475,000 tons to 760,000 tons which is 60 per cent more than the previous year.

Chickpea can be successfully grown in arid and semi-arid regions of the country. It requires cool weather condition but frost badly affects its growth and yield. The crop matures within four months or a little more under normal conditions.The gram plant is susceptible to damage by heavy rains or hail storm after reaching maturity.

Being a heat resistant crop, it flourishes under good moisture condition. Its long taproot helps it to tolerate water stress conditions. It is sensitive to salinity and alkalinity. Being a leguminous crop it can meet 60-80 per cent of its nitrogen demand.

The successful intercropping of wheat with chickpea depends on the timely planting of each crop, adequate fertilisation at optimal times, effective weed and pest control and efficient harvesting. Proper planning should be made for selection of crop species and appropriate cultivars, water availability, plant populations and spacing, labour requirements throughout the season and tillage requirements. Soil analysis before sowing helps to formulate a recommendation to meet the needs of both crops.

The most critical phases of the entire season are seed germination and seedling establishment. A good seedbed must be prepared to get a good stand. The greater rooting densities of wheat make it more competitive with respect to uptake of nutrients from the rhizosphere.

The interference of wheat with chickpea is due to allelochemicals especially phenolic compounds that are released from the actively growing as well as decaying plant residues.

The integration among farmers, extension department and agriculture research institutes is needed to create awareness about intercropping of wheat with chickpea. The government should frame policies to attract private bodies to provide proper warehouse and storage facilities to farmers. The provision of loans at low interest rate by banks can also be helpful in this regard.