AGRICULTURE AND BIOLOGY JOURNAL OF NORTH AMERICA ISSN Print: 2151-7517, ISSN Online: 2151-7525, doi:10.5251/abjna.2016.7.2.40.49 © 2016, ScienceHuβ, http://www.scihub.org/ABJNA Land Equivalent Ratio, Growth, Yield and Yield Components Response of Mono-cropped vs. Inter-cropped Common Bean and Maize With and Without Compost Application Amanullah1*, Faisal Khan1, Haji Muhammad1, Abbas Ullah Jan2 and Ghaffar Ali2 1Department of Agronomy, 2Department of Agricultural and Applied Economics The University of Agriculture Peshawar-25130, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa-Pakistan *Email of the corresponding author: [email protected] ABSTRACT Field experiment was conducted to investigate land equivalent ratio (LER), yield and yield components of common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L., cv. Dargai Local) grown alone as mono cropping and in various combinations (intercropping) in maize (Zea mays L., cv. Azam) with and without compost application. The experiment was laid out in randomized complete block design on farmer‟s field at Dargai, Malakand (Northwest Pakistan) during summer 2012. In case of intercropping, growing common bean grown as T2 (two alternate rows of each crop) and T4 (when maize four rows were grown in center and two rows of bean on each side) had improved growth (phenological development, plant height, leaves per plant and leaf area), higher yield components (seeds per pod, pods per plant and 1000 grains weight) and higher yields (biomass yield, grain yield and harvest index). Application of compost tremendously improved growth, increased yield and yield components of common bean when grown alone in mono-cropping or inter-cropping. The land equivalent ratio (LER) was higher in plots treated with compost than without compost treated plots. Intercropping of common bean under compost treated plots had higher LER when grown as T2 (1.14) and T4 (1.07) as compared with sole cropping (1.0). All other mixtures with compost and without compost treated plots had less than one LER and should not be practiced due to the harmful association between the two crops. Key words: maize, common bean, intercropping, compost, LER, grain yield INTRODUCTION helps to reduce weed populations once the crops are established (Beets, 1990). Having a variety of root Mixed cropping is the practice of growing more than systems in the soil reduces water loss, increases one crop in a field at a given time, while intercropping water uptake and increases transpiration. This is is the practice of growing more than one crop important during times of water stress, as simultaneously in alternating rows of the same field intercropped plants use a larger percentage of (Beets, 1990). The main advantage of intercropping available water from the field than monocropped is the more efficient utilization of the available plants. Rows of maize in a field with a shorter crop resources and the increased productivity compared will reduce the wind speed above the shorter crops with each sole crop of the mixture (Dhima et al., and thus reduce desiccation (Beets, 1990). 2007; Agegnehu et al., 2008; Launay et al., 2009; Mucheru- Cereal-grain legume intercropping has potential to address the soil nutrient depletion on smallholder Muna et al., 2010). Cereal and legume intercropping farms (Sanginga and Woomer, 2009). The legumes is recognized as a common cropping system by the play an important role in nitrogen fixation (Peoples small scale farmers in developing countries (Ofori and Craswell, 1992), and are important source of and Stern, 1987; Tsubo and Mukhala, 2003). nutrition for both humans and livestock (Nandwa et Intercropped legumes fix most of their N from the al., 2011). The low input and high risk environment atmosphere and not compete with cereals for N of the smallholder farmer benefits enormously from resources (Adu-Gyamfi et al., 2007; Vesterager et al., intercropping (Rana and Pal, 1999). Cereal and 2008). Increased leaf cover in intercropping systems legumes which has become a popular combination 40 Agric. Biol. J. N. Am., 2016,7(2):40-49 among farmers was probably due to legumes ability the waste material is piled at the farm level, to combat erosion and raise soil fertility levels composted and added into the soil he fertility status (Matusso et al., 2012). Flexibility, maximization of can be improved and crop yields can significantly be profit, minimization of risk, soil conservation and soil increased (Sarwar, 2005). The objective of this fertility improvement are some of the principal research project was to investigate yield, yield reasons for smallholder farmers to intercrop their components and land equivalent ratio of intercropped farms/crops (Matusso et al., 2012). Further to that, maize and common bean with and without compost they have the potentials to give higher yield than sole application. crops, greater yield stability and efficient use of MATERIALS AND METHODS nutrients (Seran and Brintha, 2010). Similarly, better weeds control, improvement of quality by variety Field experiment was conducted to investigate while cereal crops require larger area to produce growth and yield of maize (Zea mays L., cv. Azam) same yield as cereals in an intercrop system (Ijoyah, and bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L., Dargai Local) 2012). Maize-legume intercrop could considerably grown alone as monocropping and in various increase forage quantity and quality and lessening combinations (intercropping) with and without condition for protein supplement (Ali and Mohammad, compost application in Northwest Pakistan at farmer 2012). field at Dargai, Malakand, during summer 2012. Maize and beans are popular intercrop in many parts The detail of factors and there levels were: of the world. Farmers can benefit from the high protein of the beans as well as the improved soil fertility. Bean-maize intercrop is a common practice Factor A: Composts (C) having two levels i.e. C1 = -1 in at high altitudes of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. However, with compost (1000 kg ha ) and C2 = without its effect on crop productivity, and economic benefit Compost (0 kg ha-1) and has not been assessed so for. Organic matter content is very low in Pakistani soils due to which Factor B: Intercropping (I) having seven levels and over all fertility status is not higher enough to give the each was planted in eight rows per plot viz. I1 = Sole enhanced yield of different crops (Zaka et al., 2004). (maize or common bean), I2 = 2 rows of bean-2 rows In Pakistan, there is lack of research on using of maize and so on, I3 = Bean + maize mixed stand, compost in field crops. Huge amounts of leaves, I4 = 2 rows of bean-4 rows of maize-2 rows of bean, grass clippings, plant stalks, wines, weeds, twigs and I5 = 2 rows of maize-4 rows of beans-2 rows of branches and the food wastes like fruit and maize, and I6 = 1 row of maize-1 rows of bean and so vegetables scraps, and egg shells are wasted / burnt on. The detail of different intercropping in eight rows every day that increasing environmental pollution. If each is given in Table 1. Table-1. The seven intercropping arrangements used in the field experiment (each in eight rows plot) with and without compost application. Rows T1 T1 T2 T3 T4 T5 T6 1 γ γ γ γ γ γ ♣♣♣♣♣♣♣ ♣♣♣♣♣♣♣ γ ♣ γ ♣ γ ♣ γ ♣ ♣♣♣♣♣♣♣ γ γ γ γ γ γ γ γ γ γ γ γ 2 γ γ γ γ γ γ ♣♣♣♣♣♣♣ ♣♣♣♣♣♣♣ ♣ γ ♣ γ ♣ γ ♣ γ ♣♣♣♣♣♣♣ γ γ γ γ γ γ ♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣ 3 γ γ γ γ γ γ ♣♣♣♣♣♣♣ γ γ γ γ γ γ γ ♣ γ ♣ γ ♣ γ ♣ γ γ γ γ γ γ ♣♣♣♣♣♣♣ γ γ γ γ γ γ 4 γ γ γ γ γ γ ♣♣♣♣♣♣♣ γ γ γ γ γ γ ♣ γ ♣ γ ♣ γ ♣ γ γ γ γ γ γ γ ♣♣♣♣♣♣♣ ♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣ 5 γ γ γ γ γ γ ♣♣♣♣♣♣♣ ♣♣♣♣♣♣♣ γ ♣ γ ♣ γ ♣ γ ♣ γ γ γ γ γ γ ♣♣♣♣♣♣♣ γ γ γ γ γ γ 6 γ γ γ γ γ γ ♣♣♣♣♣♣♣ ♣♣♣♣♣♣♣ ♣ γ ♣ γ ♣ γ ♣ γ γ γ γ γ γ γ ♣♣♣♣♣♣♣ ♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣ 7 γ γ γ γ γ γ ♣♣♣♣♣♣♣ γ γ γ γ γ γ γ ♣ γ ♣ γ ♣ γ ♣ ♣♣♣♣♣♣♣ γ γ γ γ γ γ γ γ γ γ γ γ 8 γ γ γ γ γ γ ♣♣♣♣♣♣♣ γ γ γ γ γ γ ♣ γ ♣ γ ♣ γ ♣ γ ♣♣♣♣♣♣♣ γ γ γ γ γ γ ♣♣♣♣♣♣♣♣ Crop Sole Sole Two Both Four Four One Stands maize common alternate crops central central alternate crop bean rows of grown rows of rows of row maize crop maize and mixed maize and common and common two rows of bean and common bean crops common two rows of bean crop bean on maize on each side each side 41 Agric. Biol. J. N. Am., 2016,7(2):40-49 Two separate fields were used viz. one for with mixed with the soil during seedbed preparation. compost and second without. The experiment in each Nitrogen at the rate of 120 kg N ha-1 as urea was field was laid out in randomized complete block applied to soil in three equal splits (at sowing, first design using three replications. Each replication and second irrigation). Compost (Higo organic plus) consisted of seven intercropping methods. A sub-plot was applied at the rate of 1000 kg ha-1 to all plots in size of 22.4 m by 5.4 m, having 8 rows, 4 m long and the experiment under compost. The chemical 70 cm apart was used. A uniform basal dose of 45 kg analysis (%) of Higo Organic Plus used in the -1 ha P2O5 as single super phosphate was applied and experiment is given in Table 2. Table-2. The chemical analysis (%) of the compost (Higo Organic Plus) used in the experiment. N P K C/N OM OC pH EC Zn Cu Fe Mn ---------------------------------------%------------------------- dSm-1 -----------mg kg-1 (ppm)-------- 2.8 3.0 3.0 4.5 40 11.7 7.1 8.6 145 56 380 228 Statistical Analysis values of the plots applied with compost produced more seeds pod-1 (3) than the plots without compost Data was collected on grain yield and yield -1 (2).