Relay Cropping Mung Bean by Plant Density and Row Arrangements with Maize on Yield and Yield Components of Component Crops at Jejebicho, Southern Ethiopia

Abstract

Maize is among the most important cereal crops in Ethiopia. Rely-intercropping of mung bean between maize enable to get grain yield of maize instead sole alone. Field experiment was conducted to assess the effects of relay intercropping mung bean at different population density and row arrangements with maize yield components and yield of the component crops, to evaluate the productivity and economic value of maize-mung bean intercropping at Sankura Wereda Jejebicho research station in 2019-2021 main cropping season. Three spatial row arrangements (1:1, 1:2 and 1:3) with four population densities (PD) (25%, 50%, 75% and 100%) were intercropped with maize variety ‘Shone’. Each of the component crops were included as a sole for comparison. Randomized complete block design in factorial with three replications was used. days to tasselling, days to physiological maturity, leaf area, leaf area index, hundred kernel weight, grain yield and harvest index of maize significantly affected by the interaction effects of population density and spatial arrangements of mung bean. The highest (8.19 ton/ha) grain yield of maize was obtained from 100% population density and 1:3 spatial row arrangement of mung bean. This may due to the presence of high interspecific competition with related high plant population density per plot area compared to other treatments. Whereas the highest grain yield mung bean (18.54 Quintal/ha) was obtained from when mung rely intercropped with 100% population density and 1:3 row arrangements. The highest thousand seed weight (42.18g) was recorded from 25% population density and 1:1 row arrangements of mung bean. The maximum Land equivalent ration value was calculated from 1.88 from 100% population density in 2019 cropping season. The highest monitory advantage index value 110,280 Ethiopian birr) was obtained from 100% population density with all the three spatial row arrangement of mung bean. Therefore, this experiment could be recommended for mung bean rely cropped with maize by 100% population density and 1:3 row arrangement able the famers to get better grain yield of maize as well as mung bean.