Effects of intercropping cereal-legume on biomass and grain yield in the savannah zone

摘要

TheeffectofintercroppingsomeforagelegumeswithmaizeonbiomassyieldoflegumesandthegrainyieldofmaizewasdeterminedinthesavannahzoneusingaCompletelyRandomizedBlockDesign.ThelegumesincludedCentrosemapubescens,Lablabpurpureus,StylosanthesguianensisandMacroptiliumlathyroidesandthemaize-legumeintegrationsweresolemaize(SM),maize+Centrosemapubescens(MC),maize+Lablabpurpureus(ML),maize+Stylosanthes(MS)andmaize+Macroptilium(MM).Theresultsindictedthatintercroppingforagelegumeswithmaizedidnotsignificantlyaffectthegrowthandgrainyieldofmaize(P0.05).ThebiomassyieldoftheindividuallegumesshowedthatS.nbsp;guianensisandM.nbsp;lathyroidesweresimilarbutsignificantlyhigherthantherestoftheotherlegumes(P0.05).nbsp;TotalbiomassyieldofMMwashigherthanthoseofotherintegrations(P0.05)butsolemaizeyieldedthelowestbiomass(4.7t/ha)(P0.05).nbsp;TheresultssuggestthatmaizegrainyieldandbiomassyieldsofintercropscanbemaximizedforbothhumanandlivestockfeedingbyintegratingeitherS.nbsp;guianensis,C.nbsp;pubescensorM.lathyroideswithmaizerespectively.nbsp;