Advantage of Intercropping Roselle with Common Bean over Sole Cropping in Ethiopia

Dejene Tadesse Banjaw

doi:10.7176/jnsr/9-12-02

Abstract

This experiment was conducted in Ethiopia, during 2017/2018 dry season to determine the of roselle-common bean advantage over sole cropping through competition indices. The experiment was carried out in a RCBD with a 2x4 factorial arrangement and replicated three times having 11 treatments (sole cropping of two roselle varieties (Hibiscus-Sudan and Hibiscus-Jamaica) and a common bean variety (Ibbado) and intercropping of the roselle varieties with four common bean planting densities combinations (25%, 50%, 75%, and 100%)). Data analysis was done using SAS software version 9.3 and the differences between means were assessed using Duncan`s Multiple Range Test at 5% probability level. Partial land equivalent ratio (LER) analysis showed that there was no significant difference between two roselle varieties while partial LER of common was significantly higher when intercropped with Hibiscus-Sudan (0.51) than with Hibiscus-Jamaica (0.38). Both roselle varieties and common bean planting density did not influence total LER and monetary advantage index (MAI). However, intercropping Hibiscus-Sudan variety resulted higher yield advantage (35%) and monetary advantage (17,946 ETB) and combination of common bean with roselle at 100% planting density resulted 39% yield advantage and 21,410 ETB. Therefore, we recommend combination of Hibiscus-Sudan and 100% planting density of common bean for growers in the same agroecology with the study area for better yield and economic advantage. Keywords: Competition indices, intercropping mixture, LER DOI : 10.7176/JNSR/9-12-02 Publication date :June 30 th 2019

Highlights

Intercropping which is growing two or more crops on the same land unit in a particular growing season (Sullivan, 2003) seen as advantageous in the world, in developing world for enhancing yield per unit area to answer food and feed requests of growing population
As common bean planting density increased from 25% to 100%, partial land equivalent ratio of common bean increased from 0.32 to 0.56, which, might be due to better resource utilization (Table 2)
SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS The productivity of the intercropping roselle with common bean was evaluated based on land equivalent ratio (LER) and monetary advantage index (MAI)

Summary

Introduction

Intercropping which is growing two or more crops on the same land unit in a particular growing season (Sullivan, 2003) seen as advantageous in the world, in developing world for enhancing yield per unit area to answer food and feed requests of growing population. Despite of some limitations, intercropping has various advantages over sole cropping, such as, it increases yield per unit area (Ali et al, 2015), avoids a risk of total yield loss as when one crop fails the producer may harvest the other crop (Heydari et al, 2016), and improves household income of the producers (Zhang et al, 2015). Another important aspect of intercropping is the reduction of the negative impact of weed, insect, and disease incidences compared to sole cropping (Lithourgidis et al, 2011). This study was initiated to evaluate productivity of two different roselle varieties intercropped with different planting densities of common bean using competition indices

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Discussion

Conclusion