Soybean-maize intercropping on yield and system productivity in Makurdi, Central Nigeria

Field experiments were conducted from July to November, during 2011 and 2012 cropping seasons at the Research Farm, University of Agriculture, Makurdi, Nigeria, to evaluate soybean-maize intercropping on yield and system productivity. Sole soybean, sole maize and the intercrop of soybean and maize constituted the treatments, which were laid out in a randomized complete block design with four replications. Results of study showed that intercropping soybean with maize significantly (P≤0.05) reduced soybean yield by 43.8 % and 55.6 % respectively, in 2011 and 2012. However, maize yield was not significantly (P≤0.05) affected when intercropped with soybean. Total intercrop yield was greater than the sole crop yields. Intercropping soybean and maize gave land equivalent ratio (LER) values of 1.40 and 1.29 respectively, in years 2011 and 2012, indicating that higher productivity per unit area was achieved by growing the two crops together than by growing them separately. With these LER values, 28.6 % and 22.5% of lands were saved respectively, in 2011 and 2012, which could be used for other agricultural purposes. In addition, land equivalent coefficient values exceeded 0.25, indicating yield advantage of the intercropping system. Competitive pressure of component crops was low, indicating that both crops are complementary and suitable in mixture.

Keywords:

SoybeanMaizeIntercroppingSystem productivityCentral Nigeria