Studies in Mixed Cropping. II. Population Pressures in Maize–Bean Mixtures

Abstract

SUMMARYAn experiment at the Kabete Field Station of the University of Nairobi compared maize–bean mixtures with pure stands of the two crops at three plant densities. Although the mixtures gave an apparent yield advantage over pure stands, this could be explained solely by the increased population pressure in the mixtures. The implication of this finding for other published work with cereal–legume mixtures is discussed, and a distinction is drawn between those sites in East Africa where a conclusive yield advantage from mixed cropping has been found and those where any apparent advantage might be explained by the higher population pressure.