Effects of Varieties and Relative Planting Time of Climbing Bean in Hybrid Maize Bean Intercropping on Growth and Phenological Parameters of The Component Crops at Haro Sabu, Western Ethiopia

Abstract

Maize and climbing bean intercropping is one of the major maize based cropping system in which is very crucial in modern agriculture. The field study was conducted at Haro Sabu Agricultural Research Center, during 2018 cropping season to assess the effects of varieties and relative planting date of climbing bean intercropping with hybrid maize on Growth and phenological of the component crops. The experiment was laid out in Randomized complete Block design (RCBD) with three replication in factorial combination of three climbing bean varieties (Dandesu, Tibe and Waragutu) and four dates of planting (simultaneous planting, 7 days after planting of hybrid maize, 14 days after planting hybrid maize and 21days after planting hybrid maize) along with respective sole crop of climbing bean varieties and hybrid maize, shone variety (PHB30G19). Analysis of variance indicated significantly affected days to tasseling, days to silking, leaf area, leaf area index, plant height, number of ears per plant, thousand kernel weights, and harvest index. Simultaneous planting significantly delayed phenological parameters as compared to other planting time. The highest (3.31cm²) was obtained from 14days after planting hybrid maize (DAPM) and number of ears per plant (1.20) was obtained from 21DAPM, the thousand kernel weights (276.4g) were obtained at 7 DAPM from variety Tibe. The highest harvest index (35.85) was obtained from 14DAMP.  Sole cropped maize significantly delayed days of tasseling and silking, increase plant height, number of ear per plant, above ground biomass and harvest index than the respective intercrop. The highest number of pod per plant (24.06) and seed per pod (5.07) were obtained from variety Tibe. Based on this study intercropping of maize with Tibe variety at14 DAPM could be recommended for the study area.

Keywords: Cropping system, Leaf area index, Intercropping, Zea mays

DOI: 10.7176/JBAH/13-9-01

Publication date:June 30^th 2023