Biological Benefits of Intercropping Maize (<i>Zea mays L</i>) with Fenugreek, Field Pea and Haricot Bean Under Irrigation in <i>Fogera</i> Plain, South <i>Gonder</i> Zone, Ethiopia

Abstract

An on-farm experiment was conducted in the dry season of 2012/2013under irrigation at Jigna rural village of Dera District, South Gonder Zone/Ethiopia. The experiment was conducted to assess the biological benefits of intercropping maize with fenugreek, field pea and haricot bean. A field have a total of 7 treatments, namely three intercropping of fenugreek, field pea and haricot bean with maize and their four sole cropping, were laid out in randomized complete block design (RCBD) with three replications. Gross plot size of each treatment was 3m × 2.7m (8.1m2), but net plot size varied up on the crop types. Spacing between adjacent replications and plots was 1.5m and 1.0m, respectively. Fenugreek, field pea and haricot bean as sole crops were planted at inter-row and intra-row spacing of 20cm × 5cm, 20cm × 5cm and 40cm × 10cm, respectively. In both intercropping and sole cropping maize was planted at 75cm× 30cm inter- and intra- row spacing, while fenugreek, field pea and haricot bean were intercropped in the middle of two maize rows at their recommended intra-spacing. Varieties used for the present study were BH-540 maize hybrid, Challa” fenugreek, Burkitu field pea and Awash Melkassa haricot bean. Data of phenological, vegetative growth and, yield related crop parameters were timely collected following their respective standard methods and procedures, and further subjected to analysis of variance (ANOVA) using SAS version 9.2. Whenever the ANOVA result showed significant difference among treatments for a parameter mean separation was further done using Duncan’s New Multiple Range Test (DNMRT). Intercropping didn’t show any significant effect statistically (p<0.05) on phenological, vegetative growth and yield related parameters of the component crops. However, concerning biomass of fenugreek, field pea and haricot bean, the analysis of variance showed that there has significant difference (p≤0.05) between intercropping and sole cropping. On the contrary, intercropped field pea produced higher pod per plant, plant height and seed per pod than that of sole field pea. Intercropped Haricot bean was also produced slightly higher plant height, seed per pod and thousand grain weights than its sole crops. Therefore, in the present study area during dry season under irrigation, maize intercropping with haricot bean and field pea was more advantageous than their respective sole crops.