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ECONOMICS OF MAIZE (Zea mays L) WITH FENUGREEK, FIELD PEAAND HARICOT BEAN INTERCROP IN FOGERA PLAIN, NORTH WEST ETHIOP
Abstract
A field experiment was conducted in 2013 to evaluate the growth and yield performance, productivity and
profitability of maize production under intercropping and sole cropping system under irrigation at Jigna village
of Dera District, South Gonder Zone, Ethiopia. A total of 7 treatments, namely; three intercropping of
fenugreek, field pea and haricot bean with maize and four sole cropping each, were laid out in Randomized
Complete Block Design (RCBD) in three replications. Varieties used for the present study were BH540 hybrid
for maize, Challa for fenugreek, Burkitu for field pea and Awash Melkassa for haricot bean. Analysis of variance
(ANOVA) was further computed using SAS version 9.2software and mean separation was estimated using least
significant difference (LSD). Land Equivalent Ratio (LER) and Gross Monetary Value (GMV) were also
estimated. The result shows that mean of intercropping had no significant difference (p≥0.05) on plant height,
cob number per plant and seed per cob of maize with respect to their sole maize. Results of maize intercrop with
haricot bean to sole maize was significant (p<0.05). Similarly, thousand grain weight of maize had significant
(p<0.05) difference also. The mean treatments of intercropped fenugreek, field pea, haricot bean with maize
and their sole each on plant height, cob (pod) per plant, seed per pod (cob) and thousand grain weight had no
significant difference. However, the land equivalent ratios (LER) obtained were 1.28 and 1.18 for maize
intercropped with haricot bean and field pea respectively. Productivity was improved in maize intercropped
with field pea and haricot bean as depicted by LER values greater than one. Growing maize and haricot bean as
sole crops would require 0.28 more unit of land to get the same yield obtained from the intercropping system.
Higher GMV of 27619.37ETB/ha and 29799.06 ETB/ha were obtained from maize intercropped with haricot
bean and field pea respectively. Therefore, maize intercropping with haricot bean and field pea was
economically better than their respective sole crops in the study area.
