Compatibility of Millet and Legume under Relay Cropping Condition

Abstract

Double-cropping millet and legumes is a popular cropping system in the Upper East region (UER) of Ghana. For improved production efficiency, suitable millet-legume combinations with short life cycles that permit extension of the growing season to facilitate double-cropping need to be explored. The objective of this study was therefore to use performance data to identify millet-legume combinations compatible for relay cropping within the UER. Three early millet cultivars (Bongo Shorthead, Arrow Millet and Bristled Millet) were factorially relayed by three legumes namely cowpea, groundnut and soybean. Bongo Shorthead followed by cowpea in a relay cropping system has the greatest prospect of accounting for superiority in grain and stover/straw yield while Bongo Shorthead followed by groundnut in a relay will provide the least suitable combination for relay cropping within the Upper East Region of Ghana.

Keywords: double cropping, millet, legumes, compatible combination, savannah zones