Abstract The experimental field featured a flat, gently sloping surface that was well-drained and composed of loamy sand. The soil in the experimental field was somewhat alkaline in response and had low levels of organic carbon and accessible nitrogen between 0 and 15 centimetres deep. Each treatment (T1, T2, T3, T4, T5, and T6) was tested with four replicates, and the treatments ranged from growing only maize, only chickpea, growing both at a 1:1 ratio in an adding series, growing both at a 1:1 ratio in a replacing series, growing both at a 2:1 ratio in a paired row, and finally growing both at a 2:2 ratio in a paired row. There are six types of intercropping systems. T1 is a single row of maize, T2 is a single row of chickpeas, T3 is an additive series of maize and chickpeas, T4 is a replacement series of maize and chickpeas, T5 is a paired row of maize and chickpeas, and T6 is a paired row of maize and chickpeas and two crop residue management. Treatments R0 (no crop residue) and R1 (some crop residue).