Suitability of Planting Pattern on Growth and Yield of Maize Intercropped with legumes in smallholder Irrigated Lowveld Condition of Zimbabwe

  • strict warning: Non-static method view::load() should not be called statically in /home/u809185268/domains/sciencebeingjournal.com/public_html/sites/all/modules/views/views.module on line 1113.
  • strict warning: Declaration of views_handler_field::query() should be compatible with views_handler::query($group_by = false) in /home/u809185268/domains/sciencebeingjournal.com/public_html/sites/all/modules/views/handlers/views_handler_field.inc on line 1147.
  • strict warning: Declaration of content_handler_field::element_type() should be compatible with views_handler_field::element_type($none_supported = false, $default_empty = false, $inline = false) in /home/u809185268/domains/sciencebeingjournal.com/public_html/sites/all/modules/cck/includes/views/handlers/content_handler_field.inc on line 229.
  • strict warning: Declaration of views_handler_filter::options_validate() should be compatible with views_handler::options_validate($form, &$form_state) in /home/u809185268/domains/sciencebeingjournal.com/public_html/sites/all/modules/views/handlers/views_handler_filter.inc on line 587.
  • strict warning: Declaration of views_handler_filter::query() should be compatible with views_handler::query($group_by = false) in /home/u809185268/domains/sciencebeingjournal.com/public_html/sites/all/modules/views/handlers/views_handler_filter.inc on line 587.
  • strict warning: Declaration of views_handler_filter_search::exposed_validate() should be compatible with views_handler::exposed_validate(&$form, &$form_state) in /home/u809185268/domains/sciencebeingjournal.com/public_html/sites/all/modules/views/modules/search/views_handler_filter_search.inc on line 112.
  • strict warning: Declaration of views_handler_area::query() should be compatible with views_handler::query($group_by = false) in /home/u809185268/domains/sciencebeingjournal.com/public_html/sites/all/modules/views/handlers/views_handler_area.inc on line 81.
  • strict warning: Declaration of views_handler_area_text::options_submit() should be compatible with views_handler::options_submit($form, &$form_state) in /home/u809185268/domains/sciencebeingjournal.com/public_html/sites/all/modules/views/handlers/views_handler_area_text.inc on line 121.
  • strict warning: Non-static method view::load() should not be called statically in /home/u809185268/domains/sciencebeingjournal.com/public_html/sites/all/modules/views/views.module on line 1113.
  • strict warning: Declaration of views_handler_sort::options_validate() should be compatible with views_handler::options_validate($form, &$form_state) in /home/u809185268/domains/sciencebeingjournal.com/public_html/sites/all/modules/views/handlers/views_handler_sort.inc on line 165.
  • strict warning: Declaration of views_handler_sort::options_submit() should be compatible with views_handler::options_submit($form, &$form_state) in /home/u809185268/domains/sciencebeingjournal.com/public_html/sites/all/modules/views/handlers/views_handler_sort.inc on line 165.
  • strict warning: Declaration of views_handler_sort::query() should be compatible with views_handler::query($group_by = false) in /home/u809185268/domains/sciencebeingjournal.com/public_html/sites/all/modules/views/handlers/views_handler_sort.inc on line 165.
  • strict warning: Non-static method view::load() should not be called statically in /home/u809185268/domains/sciencebeingjournal.com/public_html/sites/all/modules/views/views.module on line 1113.
Mtetwa G., Chikambure F.C, Fambisai F, Mutata M

Chiredzi Research Station, P. O. Box 97, Chiredzi, Zimbabwe.

Intercropping cereal/legumes can improve crop productivity because legumes improve soil fertility. An experiment was carried out at Chiredzi Research Station semi-arid region of Zimbabwe. The objectives were to evaluate the impact of cowpeas/soybeans intercrop on maize yield; finding the most convenient planting pattern maize/cowpeas and maize/soybeans intercrop and assessing the performance of cowpeas/soybeans as supplementary source of nitrogen. The treatments were maize sole crop, legumes sole crop; one row legume; two rows legume; three rows legume; maize/legume same row; sole maize+40kgN/ha.; one row legume+70kgN/ha.; two rows legume+70kgN/ha and three rows legume+70kgN/ha. Results indicated that intercropped maize took significantly longer days to mature in both maize/cowpeas/soybeans intercrop compared to sole crop without topdressing. Maize1000 seed weight in maize/cowpeas intercrop increased significantly. Intercropping without topdressing was effective in terms of Land Equivalent Ratios. Intercropping same row maize/cowpeas increased residual nitrogen significantly. Intercropping maize/soybeans 1:1, 1:2, and 1:3 without topdressing increased residual nitrogen significantly.

application/pdf icon| PDF (773 MB) |