Abstract
A study to assess the effect of intercropping maize (Zea mays L.) and cowpea (Vigna unguiculata L.) within the same basin or outside the basin on root length density (RLD) was conducted at the International Crop Research Institute for Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT) Matopos Research Station from December 2009 to April 2010. The experiment was laid out in a Randomised Complete Block Design (RCBD) with four treatments replicated four times namely; sole maize, sole cowpea, maize-cowpea intercrop with cowpea and maize planted within the same basin and maize-cowpea intercrop with cowpea planted 20 cm outside the maize basin. There was significant difference (P
Highlights
In Zimbabwe agro ecological region III - V constitute about 57% of the total land with region III making up 17.4%, region IV 33%, and region V 26.2% of the total land [1]
Intercropping maize and cowpeas within the same basin resulted in high root length densities which translated to higher yields for both the maize and cowpeas as compared to sole crops or intercropping outside the basin
Intercropping had significant effects on the maize and cowpea stover, with intercropping resulting in higher stover yield compared to the sole crops
Summary
In Zimbabwe agro ecological region III - V constitute about 57% of the total land with region III making up 17.4%, region IV 33%, and region V 26.2% of the total land [1]. These agro ecological regions carry about 46.34% of the total population in Zimbabwe and are characterized by periodic droughts and low erratic rainfall [2] These conditions have ensured that food security is rarely achieved by the smallholder farmers who attain yields of less than one tonne per hectare and as a result these agro ecological zones have the highest incidence of poverty in Zimbabwe [3]. Farmers in these regions have been encouraged to grow drought tolerant crops such as sorghum (Sorghum bicolour L.) as well as practice intercropping in order to improve food security but they still prefer maize which usually does not do well [4]. Research has shown that planting basins have a better water retention capacity as compared to the ripper tillage system and increases yields by 15% - 75% in semi-arid areas [7]
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