Journal of
Plant Breeding and Crop Science

  • Abbreviation: J. Plant Breed. Crop Sci.
  • Language: English
  • ISSN: 2006-9758
  • DOI: 10.5897/JPBCS
  • Start Year: 2009
  • Published Articles: 447

Full Length Research Paper

Identification of best maize-legume based cropping systems under conservation agriculture practices for Central Rift Valley of Ethiopia

Goshime Muluneh Mekasha
  • Goshime Muluneh Mekasha
  • Ethiopian Institute of Agricultural Research, Hawassa Maize Research, P. O. Box 845, Hawassa, Ethiopia.
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Walter Tamuka Mupangwa
  • Walter Tamuka Mupangwa
  • International Maize and Wheat Improvement Center (CIMMYT), Shola Campus, ILRI, P. O. Box 5689, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia.
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Solomon Admassu Seyoum
  • Solomon Admassu Seyoum
  • The University of Queensland, Queensland Alliance for Agriculture and Food Innovation (QAAFI), Center for Crop Science, Gatton, QLD 4343, Australia.
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Alemayehu Zemede Lemma
  • Alemayehu Zemede Lemma
  • Ethiopian Institute of Agricultural Research, Hawassa Maize Research, P. O. Box 845, Hawassa, Ethiopia.
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Haimanot Beruk Senbeta
  • Haimanot Beruk Senbeta
  • Ethiopian Institute of Agricultural Research, Hawassa Maize Research, P. O. Box 845, Hawassa, Ethiopia.
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Mesele Haile Onu
  • Mesele Haile Onu
  • Ethiopian Institute of Agricultural Research, Hawassa Maize Research, P. O. Box 845, Hawassa, Ethiopia.
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Mamud Aman Tello
  • Mamud Aman Tello
  • Ethiopian Institute of Agricultural Research, Hawassa Maize Research, P. O. Box 845, Hawassa, Ethiopia.
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  •  Received: 09 October 2020
  •  Accepted: 03 February 2021
  •  Published: 30 April 2021

Abstract

Cereal crops especially maize production in Ethiopian Central Rift Valley is affected by biotic and abiotic production. This study was conducted for two seasons (2015-2016) and the best cropping system was identified using Randomized Complete Block Design with three replications. The experiment had six treatments (1) Continuous mono-cropping under conventional practice (CN), (2) continuous mono cropping under conservation agriculture (CA) (3) relay cropping (CA) with double bean planting within a season (maize bean inter-cropping: second round bean planting was conducted after immediate harvesting of the first bean), (4) Double cropping (CA) (maize bean inter cropping after sole lablab), (5) Double cropping (CA) (maize after bean) and (6) Double cropping (CA) (bean after maize). In 2016, the highest maize biomass yield and maximum water use efficiency were obtained from double cropping bean after maize with value of 16050 kg/ha and 31 kg mm-1, respectively. Maize-bean relay cropping outperformed the sole maize under CA and CN by 182 and 138% for maize grain yield. Water use efficiency of double cropping (maize after bean) and relay cropping was higher than double cropping (bean after maize) by 366 and 197% in 2015 for maize grain yield. For biomass, relay cropping under CA and sole maize under CN had similar water use efficiency of 18 kg mm-1. The CA practice with diverse crops planted together: double inter-cropping at different time (relay cropping) and double cropping under CA are good options for using the residual soil moisture and to sustainably improve crop productivity.

Key words: Conservation; cropping system; lablab; water use efficiency.

Copyright © 2024 Author(s) retain the copyright of this article.

This article is published under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License 4.0

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