Effect of spatial arrangement of faba bean variety intercropping with maize on yield and yield components of the crops
Negera Nurgi, Tamado Tana, Nigussie Dechassa, Bulti Tesso, Yibekal Alemayehu
Abstract
Efficient maize-faba bean intercropping system for optimum grain yield and productivity is needed in order to use the limited land and to enhance food security of the smallholder farmers. A field experiment was conducted at Haramaya, eastern Ethiopia during the 2018 and 2019 main cropping seasons to determine the effect of variety and spatial arrangement on a maize-faba bean intercropping system on yield components and yields of the component crops and the productivity of the system. The treatments consisted of the recommended 100% plant populations of maize (Baate) variety intercropped with 50% of the recommended density of four faba bean varieties (Yeferenji Baqela, Yehabesha Baqela, Batte and Gachena). The component crops were sown at three levels of spatial arrangements (1:1 1:2 and 2:2), whereas sole maize and the four faba beans were sole-planted. The treatments were laid out as a randomized complete block design with three replications in factorial approach. The results revealed that cropping season affected all the maize variables-cropped. Sole-cropped maize gave the higher grain yield (5.91 t ha −1 ) compared to intercropping system. Maize intercropped with 2:2 spatial arrangements gave the highest grain yield (5.37 t ha −1 ). Sole-cropped faba bean gave higher seed yield (2.04 t ha −1 ) than intercropped faba bean. The 1:1 spatial arrangement was superior in number of pods per plant (5.27), aboveground dry biomass (3.81 t ha −1 ), and seed yield (0.86 t ha −1 ) to the other spatial arrangements. Variety Gachena was superior to the other varieties in number of pods per plant (5.49), above ground dry biomass (3.77 t ha −1 ), seed yield (0.88 t ha −1 ). Land equivalent ratio (LER) was unaffected by variety differences; however, a 26.8% yield advantage was achieved at 1:1 spatial arrangement in which the highest LER (1.268) value was obtained. The highest gross monetary value (GMV) (96,308 ETB ha −1 ), maize equivalent yield (MEY) (6420.53 kg ha −1 ) and monetary advantage index (MAI) (17,506) was obtained from Gachena variety. A 1:1 spatial arrangement gave the maximum GMV (94,162 ETB ha −1 ), MEY (6277.49 kg ha −1 ) and MAI (18,761). Therefore, it is concluded that intercropping of Gachena variety in a 1:1 spatial arrangement with maize resulted in the highest productivity and economic advantage for the farmers of the study area.