Effects of Bean Population and Row Arrangement on the Productivity of Chilli/Dwarf Bean (Capsicum annuum/Phaseolus vulgaris L.) Intercropping in Sri Lanka

Abstract

Intercropping of chilli {Capsicum annuum) and dwarf bean {Phaseolus vulgaris)is a recently adopted practice by farmers in Sri Lanka. As chilli fetches a higher market price, the bean population which could be incorporated into a 100% population of chilli has to be found. In the present experiment, effects of three bean populations (100, 75 and 50% of sole crop population 250000 pi ha') and four row arrangements (1:1, 1:2, 2:1 and 2:2) were tested at Kundasale, Sri Lanka. The land equivalent ratio (LER) of all intercrops were significantly greater than one, indicating a greater productivity per unit land area in intercropping than sole cropping. At 100% and 75% bean populations, LER and intercrop yields of bean were significantly greater than at 50%. Row arrangement did not have a significant effect on either LER or bean yield in intercrops. Intercrop bean yields were lower than sole bean yields indicating significant competition from chilli. Chilh yields were not affected by either bean population or row arrangement. Intercrop chilli yields were greater than the sole chilli yield indicating significant positive effects from bean. Greater radiation interception and iower weed growth and the absence of overlap between yield formation periods ofthe two component crops were probably responsible for the greater productivity (LER) of intercrops.

The Effects of Nitrogen Fertilization on Intercropped Strawberry and Broad Bean

“…Absorption of mineral N by the non-legume crop reduces soil-N pools, thus stimulating N 2 fixation by the legume crop (Waterer, Vessey, and Stobbe, 1994). Advantages of intercropping with legumes have been demonstrated in numerous studies on different crops (Olasantan, 1991;Poniedzialek et al, 1989;Sharaiha and Hattar, 1993;Costa and Perera, 1998). These studies have reported that intercropping was more productive than sole cropping because of the complementary effects of intercrops.…”

Performance of organic and conventional crop varieties and species mixtures under stress

“…or chili with bean(De Costa and Perera, 2008). AbdEl-Gaid et al (2014) showed that mixed cropping tomato plants with common bean plants does not affect the yield of the tomato plants, but leads to an increase in farmers' profit due to the extra income from the beans (AbdEl-Gaid et al, 2014).…”