ISSN : 2287-8327
A 2-year study (2010-2011) was carried out in order to evaluate the effects of bean and maize intercropping. The experiment tested five different cropping systems: sole cropping of each crop, as well as intercropping of maize/bean with the ratios of 1:3 (M1B3), 2:2 (M2B2) and 3:1 (M3B1), each of which took place in the presence of two weed management systems (no weed control and weed eradication through manual removal), in a factorial experiment based on randomized complete block design using three replicates. Tests of homogeneity of variance for combined data over two years showed that data of both years could be analyzed together. The results showed that the effect of intercropping treatments on all measured traits in maize and bean were significantly different. A minimum land equivalent ratio (LER) for maize (0.78)was obtained for M3B1 under conditions of no weed control, while the highest LER (1.03) was observed in M3B1 under weed-free conditions. The highest (0.99) and lowest (0.70) LER values for beans were recorded for M1B3 under weed-free conditions and M3B1 under conditions of no weed control, respectively. M1B3 under weed-free conditions showed the highest total LER (2.02), while M3B1 under conditions of no weed control showed the lowest (1.48). Results of this study indicated that intercropping bean and maize can be an effective method to increase total productivity, and that the M1B3system was the best cropping system for high productivity.
Abraham CT, Singh SP. 1984. Weed management in sorghum-legume intercropping systems. J Agric Sci 103: 103-115.
Anil L, Park J, Phipps RH, Miller FA. 1998. Temperate intercropping of cereals for forage: a review of the potential for growth and utilization with particular reference to the UK. Grass Forage Sci 53: 301-317.
Brainard DC, Bellinder RR. 2004. Weed suppression in a broccoli-winter rye intercropping system. Weed Sci 52: 281-290.
Connolly J, Goma HC, Rahim K. 2001. The information content of indicators in intercropping research. Agric Ecosyst Environ 87: 191-207.
Ghaffarzadeh M, Préchac FG, Cruse RM. 1994. Grain yield response of corn, soybean, and oat grown in a strip intercropping system. Am J Altern Agric 9: 171-177.
Koocheki A, Lalehgani B, Najibnia S. 2009. Evaluation of productivity in bean and corn intercropping. Iran J Field Crops Res 7: 605-614.
Li L, SC Yang S, Li X, Zhang F, Christie P. 1999. Interspecific complementary and competitive interactions between intercropped maize and faba bean. Plant Soil 212: 105-114.
Lithourgidis AS, Dordas CA, Damalas CA, Vlachostergios DN. 2011. Annual intercrops: an alternative pathway for sustainable agriculture. Aust J Crop Sci 5: 396-410.
Mead R, Willey RW. 1980. The concept of a ‘land equivalent ratio’ and advantages in yields from intercropping. Exp Agric 16: 217-228.
Odhiambo GD, Ariga ES. 2001. Effect of intercropping maize and beans on Striga incidence and grain yield. Seventh Eastern and Southern Africa Regional Maize Conference, 2001 Feb 11-15, Nairobi, pp 183-186.
Pandey AK, Prakash V. 2002. Weed management in maize and soybean intercropping system. Indian J Weed Sci 34: 58-62.
Piri I, Abrahimpour F, Tavassoli A, Amiri E, Rastegaripour F. 2011. Effect of fertilizer in controlling weeds under intercropping of pearl millet and red bean in Sistan region, Iran. Afr J Biotechnol 10: 7397-7403.
Sheng M, Tang M, Zhang F, Huang Y. 2011. Influence of arbuscular mycorrhiza on organic solutes in maize leaves under salt stress. Mycorrhiza 21: 423-430.
Smith HA, McSorley R. 2000. Intercropping and pest management: a review of major concepts. Am Entomol 46: 154-161.
Tian MJ. 2010. Review on changes in soil physical properties and water and soil conservation under contour hedgerow intercropping system. Chin J Soil Sci 2: 1-10.
Tsubo M, Mukhala E, Ogindo HO, Walker S. 2003. Productivity of maize-bean intercropping in a semi-arid region of South Africa. Water SA 29: 381-388.
Tsubo M, Walker S, Ogindo HO. 2005. A simulation model of cereal-legume intercropping systems for semi-arid regions. II. Model application. Field Crops Res 93: 23-33.
Zhang FS, Li L, Sun JH. 2001. Contribution of above and below-ground interactions to intercropping. In: Plant Nutrition: Food Security and Sustainability of Agro-ecosystems through Basic and Applied Research (Horst WJ, Schenk MK, Burkert A, Claassen N, Flessa H, Frommer WB, Goldbach H, Olfs HW, Romheld V, Sattelmacher B, Schmidhalter U, Schubert S, von Wiren N, Wittenmayer L, eds). Kluwer Academic Publishers, Dordrecht, pp 979-980.
Zuo Y, Zhang FS Li X, Cao Y. 2000. Studies on the improvement in iron nutrition of peanut by intercropping with maize on a calcareous soil. Plant Soil 220: 13-25.