SOIL PROPERTIES AND AGRONOMIC PERFORMANCE UNDER MAIZE KIDNEY BEAN INTERCROP IN BENIN CITY
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Abstract
This field experiment was conducted in the Experimental Field of Faculty of Agriculture, University of Benin, Benin City, to ascertain the physical and chemical properties of soil and agronomic performance of Kidney bean (Phaseolus vulgaris) and Maize (Zea Mays) in monoculture and intercrop. The experiment was laid out in a randomized complete block design (RCBD) with three levels of treatment and three replicates. Soil samples were
collected before and after experiment for determination of parameters: pH, total organic carbon (TOC), total nitrogen (TN), available phosphorus, potassium, calcium, magnesium, sodium, hydrogen, aluminium, sand, silt and clay. Also plant parameters like, stem girth, number of leaves, vine length, weight of 100 grains and yield were also determined. Data collected were subjected to analysis of variance and Duncan Multiple Range Test was used
to separate means at 5% level of significance. Results show that the total nitrogen content of the soil in the sole maize plot reduced to 0.54 g/kg from the 0.63 g/kg recorded in the soil before sowing while the kidney bean + maize intercrop plot increased to 0.73 g/kg and the
sole kidney bean pot was 0.80 g/kg. Furthermore, the soils in the area were generally acidic in nature and belong to the loamy sand textural class. The effect of intercropping on yield varied between kidney bean and maize. For kidney bean and intercropping, there was a
slight increase in grain weight (32.8 g under intercropping compared to 31.9g in monoculture) and a minor improvement in total yield (0.72 t/ha in intercropping relative to 0.70 t/ha in monocropping). This suggests that intercropping had positive effect on yield of
kidney bean. The nutrient (nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, calcium and magnesium) content of the grains of maize and kidney bean were not affected by intercropping. However, intercropping resulted in a decrease in yield components (stem girth, number of leaves, plant
height, weight of 100 grains average weight of cob and grain yield) of maize while kidney bean recorded increment in growth and yield parameters.
collected before and after experiment for determination of parameters: pH, total organic carbon (TOC), total nitrogen (TN), available phosphorus, potassium, calcium, magnesium, sodium, hydrogen, aluminium, sand, silt and clay. Also plant parameters like, stem girth, number of leaves, vine length, weight of 100 grains and yield were also determined. Data collected were subjected to analysis of variance and Duncan Multiple Range Test was used
to separate means at 5% level of significance. Results show that the total nitrogen content of the soil in the sole maize plot reduced to 0.54 g/kg from the 0.63 g/kg recorded in the soil before sowing while the kidney bean + maize intercrop plot increased to 0.73 g/kg and the
sole kidney bean pot was 0.80 g/kg. Furthermore, the soils in the area were generally acidic in nature and belong to the loamy sand textural class. The effect of intercropping on yield varied between kidney bean and maize. For kidney bean and intercropping, there was a
slight increase in grain weight (32.8 g under intercropping compared to 31.9g in monoculture) and a minor improvement in total yield (0.72 t/ha in intercropping relative to 0.70 t/ha in monocropping). This suggests that intercropping had positive effect on yield of
kidney bean. The nutrient (nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, calcium and magnesium) content of the grains of maize and kidney bean were not affected by intercropping. However, intercropping resulted in a decrease in yield components (stem girth, number of leaves, plant
height, weight of 100 grains average weight of cob and grain yield) of maize while kidney bean recorded increment in growth and yield parameters.
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