Evaluation of short duration ICRISAT pigeon pea cultivars in mixtures with FARZ-7 maize under the derived savannah conditions of Nigeria

Abstract

Three ICRISAT short duration pigeon pea cultivars namely: ICPL84023, ICPL151, and ICPL87, were evaluated in intercropping system with FARZ-7 maize for growth, grain yield, and intercropping benefits at the University of Nigeria Teaching and Research Farm in the early cropping season of 1993. Intercropping any of the short duration pigeon pea cultivars with FARZ-7 maize was more beneficial than planting maize or pigeon pea sole. Although intercropping depressed grain yield of short duration pigeon pea by 20 to 58% of its sole, in terms of land equivalent ratio (LER), intercropping benefits ranged from 1.33 to 1.77, the highest being with ICPL87 + maize intercrop. ICPL151 and ICPL87 were bigger plants in intercrop with higher relative crowding coefficients (RCC) than ICPL84023. But ICPL151 and ICPL84023 were able to compete better with maize than ICPL87. The yield advantage observed with ICPL87 + maize was due to the extra yield of maize in that mixture. Maize was in all cases the dominant component of the mixture having higher relative crowding coefficient, and competition coefficient values than the pigeon pea cultivars. ICPL151 and ICPL84023 would be recommended for intercropping with maize because of their higher yield contribution to the overall yield, as the legume grain is of premium value compared with maize grain. [IJARD Vol.3 2002: 138-143]