Effects of different maize (Zea mays L.) soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merrill) intercropping patterns on soil mineral-N, N-uptake and soil properties

Abstract

The adoption of ISFM technologies such as maize-soybean intercropping system is being promoted as one of the options to address low soil fertility and crop productivity among the farmers of the central highland of Kenya. The purpose of this study was therefore to determine the effects of maize-soybean intercropping patterns on soil inorganic N, N uptake and soil chemical properties. The experiment conducted during 2012 LR and 2012 SR and it was arranged in a randomized complete block design (RCBD) with four replications. The treatments were four maize (M)soybean (S) intercropping patterns (conventional=1M:1S; MBILI-MBILI=2M:2S; 2M:4S; 2M:6S) and two sole crops of maize and soybean, respectively. The results showed that at Embu during 2012 LR, at harvest the MBILI and 2M:4S treatments observed significantly (p=0.0525) the lowest N0 3-N content (8.24 mg kg-1 and 9.15 mg kg-1 , respectively); and at Kamujine during the same 2012 LR, at harvest the sole soybean treatment recorded statistically (p = 0.0301) the highest N0 3-N content (8.24 mg kg-1). At Kamujine the sole soybean treatment recorded statistically (p=0.0131) the highest (12.84 mg kg-1) soil mineral N. The N uptake by maize and soybean was significantly affected by the intercropping patterns and it was positively correlated with soil mineral N, at both sites during the sampling period. During 2012 SR at Embu site, the MBILI treatment observed significantly the highest soil total N value of 0.05% (p=0.0530). The soil SOC was not significantly affected by the intercropping patterns at this location. The SOC was significantly affected by the intercropping and the conventional treatment recorded the highest value of 2.46%, p=0.0020.

Effects of Intercrop Population Density and Row Orientation on Growth and Yields of Sorghum - Cowpea Cropping Systems in Semi Arid Rongai, Kenya

“…The reduction in cowpea harvest index above the optimal intercrop population of 111 111 plants/ha (SC1) was attributed to sorghum shading effects on cowpea, which caused the legume component to allocate more photosynthates to vegetative growth and thus height so as to compete with the taller sorghum and thus, have access to more solar radiation. The results were in agreement with findings by Matusso et al (2013) for a maize-soya intercropping system in Embu, Kenya.…”

Maize–soybean Intercropping for Sustainable Intensification of Cereal–legume Cropping Systems in Northern Nigeria

“…According to Layek et al (2014), several indices such as land equivalent ratio (LER), crop equivalent yield, relative crowding coefficient, competition ratio, aggressivity, actual yield loss, intercropping advantage and monetary advantage index (MAI) have been suggested to describe competition and economic advantage of intercropping compared to monocropping. Higher LER (>1), indicating advantage in intercropping, has been reported with maize-soybean intercropping in comparison to monocropping (Matusso et al, 2013). Although farmers in the Guinea savannas of Nigeria have increasingly resorted to intercropping maize with soybean, there is no reported information regarding intercropping advantages and monetary advantages of soybean-based intercropping Maize-soybean intercropping 3 system in this region.…”

“…According to Matusso et al (2013) and Egbe et al (2010) if the LER is equal to 1.0, there is no difference in yield between growing the crop in pure or mixed stand. If the LER is greater than 1.0, there is a yield advantage when both crops were grown as mixed, as compared to pure stands.…”

Intercropping patterns and different farming systems affect the yield and yield components of safflower and bitter vetch

“…Furthermore, the average A (sv) values of two years were significantly greater than zero (P ≤ .05), indicating that safflower was the dominant species and had much greater competitiveness in the intercropping system of safflower with bitter vetch (Table 10). The reduction in bitter vetch yield under intercropping with safflower could be attributed to the interspecific competition between the intercrop components for water, light, air and nutrients and also the aggressive effects of safflower on bitter vetch (Matusso et al 2014). The shading of the bitter vetch by the taller safflower plants may also have contributed to the reduction in the yields of the intercropped bitter vetch (Belel et al 2014;Karanja et al 2014).…”