Abstract
A field experiment was conducted at Tepi, southwest Ethiopia, from 2013 – 2017, to determine optimum plant population yield of component crops and land productivity in the coffee/korarima intercropping system. Test crops were Catimore-J21 variety for coffee and a local variety of korarima. The experiment consisted of five treatments arranged in a Randomized Complete Block Design with three replications. Data collected were statistically analyzed using SAS computer software. The productivity of the system was evaluated using a land equivalent ratio. Results showed that the coffee yield was significantly (p<0.05) influenced by intercropping, while the growth of the coffee tree did not significantly affect by intercropping. Whereas, the growth and yield of korarima plants were significantly (p<0.05) influenced by intercropping except for plant height, length, and girth of fruit capsule. Accordingly, the higher coffee yield advantages were found from sole plots when compared with intercropped coffee plots and followed by 2 to 1 coffee and korarima intercropping ratio. Similarly, the advanced yield of korarima was recorded from sole stands followed by 1 to 2 coffee and korarima intercropping ratio. The maximum land equivalent ratio was recorded at a planting pattern of 2 to 1 coffee and korarima intercropping ratio as compared to other treatments. Therefore, it could be concluded that intercropping of coffee with korarima is biologically and agronomically feasible, and the aforementioned treatment could be recommended for the study area. However, it is important to advise farmers in the area and similar agro-ecology to supplement irrigation water to the field especially during the dry spell period.
Highlights
In most developing countries of the tropics, the bulk of food consumed is derived from small scale agriculture
On the contrary, [4] showed that there is no significant difference between intercropping of coffee with ginger and turmeric, even through time yield from intercropping decline compared to sole cropping system of both crops
The center is located at 7°10' N latitude and 35°25' E longitude and situated at an altitude of 1200 m.a.s.l, representing a lowland altitude according to Ethiopian traditional agro-ecological division, the elevation is the basis for this classification [11]
Summary
In most developing countries of the tropics, the bulk of food consumed is derived from small scale agriculture. The cropping systems of these countries are characterized by the landholding of few hectares, limited mechanization, low levels of purchased inputs, intensive labor, and multiple cropping that include intercropping as its mainstay [13, 14]. Risk minimization is the major objective of intercropping in developing countries, small farmers . Though intercropping is defined by different authors differently, the basic idea is more or less alike. It is defined as the growth of two or more crops simultaneously on the same field with crop intensification in both time and space dimensions [30, 13]
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