Competition Indices of Intercropped Lupine (Local) and Small Cereals in Additive Series in West Gojam, North Western Ethiopia

Abstract

The experiment was conducted on intercropping of lupine (Lupinus albus L.) with wheat (Triticum aestivum), barley (Hordeum vulgar) and finger millet (Eleusine coracana) in 2009 at Adet Agricultural research station, in Western Gojam. The treatments were sole wheat at a seed rate of 175 kg/ha, sole barley at a seed rate of 125 kg/ha, sole finger millet at a seed rate of 30 kg/ha, sole lupine at a seed rate of 90 kg/ha, and an additive series of 25, 50 and 75% of the sole lupine seed rate combined with the full cereal seed rate to determine the effect of intercropping on competition (CR) among the different species, the land equivalent and area time equivalent ratios (LER and ATER); and the economic feasibility of each intercropping system(MAI) as compared with sole cropped. The experimental design was a completely randomized block with nine intercropping and four sole cropping systems in three replications. Lupine was planted in rows after establishment of main crops. JMP-5 (SAS, 2002) software's was used to compute the analysis of variance. Partial LER of lupine was lower than LER of cereal, indicating an advantage for main crops and a disadvantage for the minor crop. Values of ATER showed 4.9%-31.3% and 11.1%-37.8% advantage in lupine-wheat and lupine-finger millet combinations, respectively, whilst lupine-barley combinations showed ATER of 54.5%-60.9% disadvantage. CR showed dominancy of wheat and barley over lupine while lupine was higher CR than finger millet. Positive MAI values were recorded in lupine-wheat and lupine-finger millet mixtures indicating that these intercropping systems were a definite yield advantage and the most profitable as compared to sole cropped. In conclusion, the lupine-finger millet mixture at the 50:100 seeding ratio and 75:100 seeding ratio; and lupine-wheat mixture at the 75:100 seeding ratio indicated a significant advantage from intercropping which was attributed to better MAI and land use efficiency (higher LER and ATER), lower CR and thereby enhanced sustainability of crop production in West Gojam, but the other socio-Y. B. Bantie et al. 1297 economic and cost of production aspects of intercropping should also be assessed especially under small scale farmers' conditions.

Determination of Effective Spatial Arrangement for Intercropping of Maize (Zea mays L.) and Potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) Using Competition Indices Ethiopia

“…This probably due to early potato dominance did appear to suppress maize growth. This corroborates with Trydeman et al [31] and Bantie et al [6] who stated that barley (early harvested) was dominant over lupine (long duration to mature). Income equivalent ratio (IER): Income equivalent ratio for maize, potato and total were significantly (P<0.01) influenced by intercropping arraignments (Table 5).…”

“…The result was in corroborates with Dhima et al [29], who reported that Vetch-barely intercropping in different seeding ratios gave negative EMAI as compared to sole cropping. Similarly, EMAI values in all lupine-barley combinations were found highly negative as compared to all pure stands due to very low LER caused by sever reduction in lupine yield [6]. Maximum negative value in the latter intercropping arraignments implying unsuitability arrangement showed an economic disadvantage.…”

“…Whereas, 2 maize: 2 potato (0.90), 1 maize: 2 potato (a) (0.95), 2 maize:1 potato (a) (0.89), 1 maize: 2 potato (b) (0.99) and 2 maize:1 potato (b) (0.81) intercropping arrangements showed values less than 1.00 (Table 3), thus indicated the disadvantage. Lupine-barely intercropping resulted in maximum disadvantage at 25:100 seeding ratio (61%) [6]. Effective monitory advantage index (EMAI): Substantial agronomic advantages from intercropping do not always ensure an economic advantage and there is a need for some economic evolutions and absolute yield comparisons of intercropping systems [27].…”

“…Most of the intercropping system researches in Ethiopia have concentrated on field crops intercropped with legume crops, like Soya bean, haricot bean, Faba bean intercropped with maize and sorghum [6]. However, there are a number of studies on intercropping system about potato and maize.…”

Maize and Potato Intercropping: A Technology to Increase Productivity and Profitability in Tigray

“…Most studies in Ethiopia have focused on cereal and legume intercropping and identified suitable genotype combinations, plantings dates, and population densities of various species while, little attention was given to other intercropping systems (Bantie et al 2014). Several authors have reported the superiority of maize/potato intercropping to sole (Amin et al 1996;Sharaiha Battikhi 2002;Tesfay et al 2006;Yayeh 2015).…”