Productivity Evaluation of Maize - Soybean Intercropping System under Rainfed Condition at Bench-Maji Zone, Ethiopia

Abstract

The study was carried out to evaluate the productivity of maize-soybean intercropping system and to identify the best combination that maximize productivity of the system. Maize hybrid (BH540) at 44,444 plants ha-1 and three soybean varieties (AFGAT, Awassa-95 and Crawford) in a factorial combination of three planting densities (25%, 50% and 75%) of the recommended population density of soybean with the respective sole of each variety of component crops were arranged in a randomized complete block design with three replications. Sole cropped maize grain yield (3189.80 kg ha-1) was non-significantly greater than intercropped (2753.70 kg ha-1) by means of 13.67%. Soybean seed yield of 1993.61 and 747.48 kg ha-1 was obtained from sole and intercropped soybean, respectively. In all combinations, LER was greater than one justified that a yield advantage of (14-32%) and (6-28%) as depicted by LER 1.14-1.32 and 1.06-1.28 due to varieties and planting densities, respectively. Generally, as LER was superior in all intercrops evaluating that the productivity of maize-soybean intercropping showed a higher relative yield advantage of 32% over sole cropping. The GMV of the intercrops was increased with an increase in planting density of soybean. Furthermore, the GMV of intercrops (ETB 12176.00 per ha) was greater by means of 41.05% over sole cropped maize whilst lower than that of soybean sole cropped GMV by ETB 3772.90 per ha or 23.66%. However, MA had not significantly varied due to varieties and planting densities and cropping system. In additive intercropping system, maize intercropped with Awassa-95 at 50% planting density showed a yield advantage of 23.71% over sole cropped maize.

"Influence of Intercropping Combinations on Growth, Components, Yield, and Quality of Faba Bean and Potato"

“…This could be implied that the number of seeds per pod is not influenced by management systems but rather genetically. This result is in agreement with Bekele, [30] and Solomon et al [31] who found that the number of seeds per pod was not significantly affected by intercropping patterns as well as varieties. 100 Seed Weight: Hundred seed weight was highly significantly (p≤0.01) affected by both the main and interaction effect of intercropping types and varietal combinations (Tables 3 & 4).…”

Productivity of Cotton as Affected by Tillage Practices, Fertilizer Rates and Intercropping Systems in the Guinea Savannah Agroecology, Ghana

“…It is also established that crops that differ in the utilization of environmental resources can complement each other and make better use of combined resources than when they are grown separately [47]. Kebebew et al [48] reported higher cotton yield among intercrops whereas [49] reported a reduction instead. The combined impact of 54-30-30 kg/ha fertilizer rate, ploughing and soybean intercrops resulted in higher production cost and profit.…”

Effects of Intercropping on Chlorophyll Content in Maize (Zea mays L.) and Soybean (Glycine max L.)

“…NS -Non-significant S -Significant; C 1 -Sole maize, C 3 -Maize+ soybean, 2:2, C 4 -Maize+ soybean, 2:4, C 5 -Two row of soybean planted in between two row of maize, C 6 -One row of soybean planted in between two row of maize, F 1 -125% RDF, F 2 -100% RDF, F 3 -75% RDF, F 4 -50% RDF Under maize + soybean intercropping systems, soybean yield tends to be lower and maize yield tends to be higher (Ghaffarzaeh et al, 1994). Greater number of branches and leaves could have influenced the monocropped soybean to produce greater number of pods plant -1 as well as higher seeds pod -1 (Data is not presented here) leading to higher seed yield (Ijoyah et al, 2010;Kebebew et al, 2014). However, the two additive series produced comparable seed yield of soybean.…”