Nutrient competition and requirement in finger millet-haricot bean intercropping system

Abstract

There is not a special recommended fertilizer rate for component crops in intercropping systems. Rather, soil nutrient applications for intercropped crops are mainly based on recommended rates for the respective individual crops. A field experiment was conducted at two sites in northwestern Ethiopia to assess the nutrient competition and requirement for finger millet-haricot bean intercropping. Factorial combinations of three cropping systems (sole finger millet, sole haricot bean, and their intercropping) and five fertilizer levels (0, 50%, 100%, 150%, and 200% of the recommended NP fertilizer rate of each sole crop) were laid out in randomized complete block design with three replications. Results revealed that maximum nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) uptake by finger millet and haricot bean were recorded in finger millet-haricot bean intercropping (FM + HB) at 150% and 200% NP, respectively. Greater relative N yield (RNY) than relative dry matter yield (RDMY) was obtained at 150% NP to both component crops indicating that N at this treatment was not limited to both crops in FM + HB. The relative P yield (RPY) was greater than RDMY of finger millet at all but 200% NP, while RPY of haricot bean was less than RDMY at all fertilizer levels. Thus, it can be concluded that FM + HB at 2:1 row ratio and 150% NP increased the nutrient and land use efficiency more than sole cropping.