Assessing the land equivalent ratio (LER) of maize (Zea mays L.)
Paper Details
Assessing the land equivalent ratio (LER) of maize (Zea mays L.)
Abstract
A 2 years field experiment was carried out in northern Tanzania with the aim of assessing the effects of maize-soybean intercropping systems, Rhizobium inoculation and P and K supplementation on Land Equivalent Ratio. A three replicate experiment was laid out in a split-split plot design with the main plots comprised of Rhizobia inoculation (with and without). The sub plots comprised of three cropping systems and the sub-sub plots having seven fertilizer levels (kg ha-1): Control, 20, 40 K, 26, 52 P, 26 P + 20 K and 52 P + 40 K. The results indicated that compared with pure stand, intercropping maize with soybean was advantageous because all the values of LER were above 1.0. Supplementation of inputs such as Rhizobium inoculants and P and K fertilizers significantly (p<0.05) increased the LERs over the control. The rhizobial inoculated plots gave the highest LER of 1.73 and 1.61 grain and biological yield compared with un-inoculated plots which gave the lowest LER of 1.31 and 1.39 grain and biological yield respectively. P and K also significantly increased LER over the control. When compared with the narrower spacing, wider spacing of soybean resulted to a greater LER values suggesting the use of wider spacing for legume-cereals intercropping. Hence, this study suggests that farmers should be advised to intercrop maize with soybean at a recommended spacing, and supplying with the recommended inputs above. However, application of P and K fertilizers will depend on the fertility status of the soil in respective area under consideration.
Agegnehu G, Ghizaw A, Sinebo W. 2006. Yield performance and land-use efficiency of barley and faba bean mixed cropping in Ethiopian highlands. European Journal of Agronomy 25(3), 202-207. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eja.2006.05.002.
Amanullah KF, Muhammad H, Jan AU, Ali G. 2016. Land Equivalent Ratio, Growth, Yield and Yield Components Response of Mono-cropped vs. Inter-cropped Common Bean and Maize With and Without Compost Application. Agriculture and Biology Journal of North America, 7(2), 40-49.
Banik P, Midya A, Sarkar BK, Ghose SS. 2006. Wheat and chickpea intercropping systems in an additive series experiment: advantages and weed smothering. European Journal of Agronomy 24(4), 325-332. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.eja.2005.10.010.
Beets WC. 1994. Multiple cropping of maize and soybean under a high level of crop management. netherlands Journal of Agricultural Science 25, 95-102.
Brintha I, Seran TH. 2009. Effect of paired row planting of raddish (Raphanus sativus L.) intercropped with vegetable amaranths (Amaranths tricolor L.) on yield components in sandy regosol. The Journal of Agricultural Sciences 4(1), 19-28.
Dahmardeh M, Ghanbari A, Syahsar BA, Ramrodi M. 2010. The role of intercropping maize (Zea mays L) and cowpea (Vigna unguiculata L) on yield and soil chemical properties. African Journal of Agricultural Research 5(8), 631-636.
Dariush M, Ahad M, Meysam O. 2006. Assessing the Land Equivalent Ratio (LER) of two corn [Zea mays L.] varieties intercropping at various nitrogen levels in Karaj, Iran. Journal of Central European Agriculture 7(2), 359-364.
Esmaeili A, Sadeghpour A, Hosseini SMB, Jahanzad E, Chaichi MR, Hashemi M. 2011. Evaluation of seed yield and competition indices for intercropped barley (Hordeum vulgare) and annual medic (Medicago scutellata). International Journal of Plant Production 5(4), 395-404.
Ghaffarzadeh M, Prechac FG, Gruse RM, 1994. Grain yield response on corn, soybean and out grown in a strip intercropping system. American Journal of Alternative Agriculture 9(4), 171–177. https://doi. org/10.1017/S0889189300005932.
Ghosh PK, 2004. Growth, yield, competition and economics of groundnut/cereal fodder intercropping in the semi-arid tropics of India. Field Crop Research 88, 227-237. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fcr.2004.01.015.
Giller KE, Wilson KJ. 1991. Nitrogen Fixation and Tropical Cropping Systems. CAB International, Wallingford P. 10-120.
Gliessman SR. 2007. Agroecology: The Ecology of Sustainable Food Systems, 2nd Edn. CRC Press, Taylor and Francis Group. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fcr. 2004.09.002.
Hugar HY, Palled YB. 2008. Studies on maize-vegetable intercropping systems. Karnataka Journal of Agricultural Sciences 21(2), 162-164.
Jabbar A, Ahmad R, Bhatti IH, Virk ZA, Wasi-u-Din, Khan MM. 2009. Assessment of yield advantages, competitiveness and economic benefits of diversified direct-seeded upland rice-based intercropping systems under strip geometry of planting. Pakistan Journal of Agricultural Sciences 46(2), 96-101.
Knudsen MT, Hauggaard-Nielsen H, Joernsgaard B, Jensen ES. 2004. Comparison of interspecific competition and N use in pea–barley, faba bean–barley and lupin–barley intercrops grown at two temperate locations. The Journal of Agricultural Science 142(06), 617-627. https://doi. org/10.1017/S0021859604004745.
Laster ML, Furr RE. 1972. Heliothis populations in cotton-sesame interplantings. Journal of Economic Entomology 65(5), 1524-1525. https://doi.org/10. 1093/jee/65.5.1524.
Maingi MJ, Shisanya AC, Gitonga MN, Hornetz B. 2001. Nitrogen fixation by common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) in pure and mixed stands in semi arid South east Kenya. European Journal of Agronomy 14, 1-12. https://doi.org/10.1016/S1161-0301(00)00080-0.
Matusso JMM, Mugwe JN, Mucheru-Muna 2012. Potential role of cereal-legume intercropping systems in integrated soil fertility management in smallholder farming systems of sub-Saharan Africa Research Application Summary. Third RUFORUM Biennial Meeting 24-28 September 2012, Entebbe, Uganda.
Mc Gilchrist CA, Trenbath BR. 1971. A revised analysis of plant competition experiments. Biometrics 27, 659-671. https://doi.org/10.2307/2528603.
Mead R, Willey RW. 1980. The concept of a land equivalent ratio and advantages in yields for intercropping. Experimental Agriculture 16(3), 217- 228. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0014479700010978.
Mohammed SAA. 2011. Assessing the Land Equivalent Ratio (LER) of Two Leguminous Pastures (CLITORIA and SIRATRO) Intercropping at Various Cultural Practices and Fencing at ZALINGEI– Western Darfur State-Sudan. ARPN Journal of Science and Technology 2(11), 1074-1080
Ndakidemi PA, Dakora FD. 2007. Yield components of nodulated cowpea (Vigna unguiculata) and maize (Zea mays) plants grown with exogenous P in different cropping systems. Australian Journal of Experimental Agriculture 47(5), 583-589. https://doi.org/10.1071/EA05274.
Nyoki D, Ndakidemi PA. 2016. Intercropping System, Rhizobia Inoculation, Phosphorus and Potassium Fertilization: A Strategy of Soil Replenishment for Improved Crop Yield. International Journal of Current Microbiology and Applied Sciences 5(10), 504-522. https://doi.org/ 10.20546/ijcmas.2016.510.056.
Ofori CF, Stern WR. 1987. Cereal legume intercropping systems. Advances in Agronomy 41, 41-90. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0065-2113(08)60802-0.
Sanchez PA. 1976. Properties and management of soils in the tropics. Wiley, New York. P. 478-532.
Smith HA, Mc Sorley R. 2000. Intercropping and pest management: A review of major concepts. American Entomologist 46(3), 154-161. https:/ /doi.org/10.1093/ae/46.3.154.
Solanki NS, Singh D, Sumeriya HK. 2011. Resources utilization in Maize (Zea mays)-based intercropping system under rainfed condition. Indian Journal of Agricultural Sciences 81(6), 511-515.
Steel RGD, Torrie JH. 1980. Principles and Procedures of Statistics: A Biometrical Approach,” 2nd Edition, McGraw-Hill Kogakusha, New York.
Tsubo M, Walker S, Ogindo HO. 2005. A simulation model of cereal–legume intercropping systems for semi-arid regions: I. Model development. Field Crops Research 93(1), 10-22. https://doi.org/ 10.1016/j.fcr.2004.09.003
Willey RW, Rao MR. 1980. A competitive ratio for quantifying competition between intercrops. Experimental Agriculture 16 (2), 117-125. https://doi.org/10.1017/S0014479700010802.
Yilmaz S, Atak M, Erayman M. 2008. Identification of advantages of maize-legume intercropping over solitary cropping through competition indices in the east Mediterranean region. Turkish Journal of Agriculture and Forestry 32(2), 111-119.
Daniel Nyoki, Patrick A. Ndakidemi (2017), Assessing the land equivalent ratio (LER) of maize (Zea mays L.); IJB, V10, N3, March, P275-282
https://innspub.net/assessing-the-land-equivalent-ratio-ler-of-maize-zea-mays-l/
Copyright © 2017
By Authors and International
Network for Natural Sciences
(INNSPUB) https://innspub.net
This article is published under the terms of the
Creative Commons Attribution License 4.0