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Response of maize and common bean to spatial and temporal differentiation in maize-common bean intercropping.

ABSTRACT: An experiment on maize (Zea mays)-common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) intercropping was conducted for two years (2014 and 2016) at two locations in North western Ethiopia with the objective of determining the spatial arrangement and planting date of common bean. Common bean intercropped with maize at three planting dates (simultaneously with maize, at emergence and knee height of maize) in two spatial arrangements (alternate and paired arrangements).The experimental design was factotrial randomized complete block design with three replications. Sole maize and common bean were included as a check. Results revealed that the spatial and temporal differentiation significantly affect only the agronomic attributes of common bean in common bean-maize intercropping. At Adet the grain yield of common bean (1.9 t ha-1), LER (1.99) and MAI (357) in maize-common bean intercropping was higher when common bean was planted at the same time with maize in paired planting pattern. On the other hand, maximum LER (1.61) and MAI (2.83) at Finoteselam were observed when common bean was intercropped with maize at maize emergence in paired planting pattern. Simultaneous intercropping of common bean with maize gave more stable total land output yield as compared to other intercropping systems but showed high variability as compared to the sole cropping. Thus, it can be concluded that planting common bean simultaneously with maize in paired planting pattern at Adet and planting common bean at maize emergence at Finoteselam in maize-common bean intercropping gave maximum land use efficiency and profitability of the cropping system without reducing the main crop yield (maize).This research also suggested further research on the compatibility of various maize and common bean varieties in different spatial and temporal differentiation.

SUBMITTER: Bitew Y

PROVIDER: S-EPMC8486100 | biostudies-literature |

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature

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Project description:Simple Summary Field margin plants are important in providing resources for natural enemies (NEs) and improving biological control of crop pests. However, the use of field margin plants for biological control particularly of important common bean pests is understudied in smallholder farming systems of sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). We evaluated the potential of field margin plants with respect to intercropping systems in common bean fields to enhance the population of NEs of common bean pests. We observed a high assemblage of important NEs of common bean pests for some insect taxa with minimal impact of intercropping on NEs. Field margin plants could be managed to provide a wide range of resources to NEs and therefore biological control of common bean pests. Abstract Field margins support important ecosystem services including natural pest regulation. We investigated the influence of field margins on the spatial and temporal distribution of natural enemies (NEs) of bean pests in smallholder farming systems. We sampled NEs from high and low plant diversity bean fields using sweep netting and coloured sticky traps, comparing monocropped and intercropped farms. NEs collected from within crops included predatory bugs, lacewings, predatory flies, parasitic flies, parasitic wasps, lady beetles, and a range of other predatory beetles; with the most dominant group being parasitic wasps. Overall, high plant diversity fields had a higher number of NEs than low-diversity fields, regardless of sampling methods. The field margin had a significantly higher number of lacewings, parasitic wasps, predatory bugs, syrphid flies, and other predatory beetles relative to the crop, but beneficial insects were collected throughout the fields. However, we observed marginally higher populations of NEs in intercropping than in monocropping although the effect was not significant in both low and high plant diversity fields. We recommend smallholder farmers protect the field margins for the added benefit of natural pest regulation in their fields.

Project description:Intercropping, i.e., the simultaneous cultivation of different crops on the same field, has demonstrated yield advantages compared to monoculture cropping. These yield advantages have often been attributed to complementary resource use, but few studies quantified the temporal complementarity of nutrient acquisition and biomass production. Our understanding of how nutrient uptake rates of nitrogen (N) and phosphorous (P) and biomass accumulation change throughout the growing season and between different neighbors is limited. We conducted weekly destructive harvests to measure temporal trajectories of N and P uptake and biomass production in three crop species (oat, lupin, and camelina) growing either as isolated single plants, in monocultures or as intercrops. Additionally, we quantified organic acid exudation in the rhizosphere and biological N2-fixation of lupin throughout the growing season. Logistic models were fitted to characterize nutrient acquisition and biomass accumulation trajectories. Nutrient uptake and biomass accumulation trajectories were curtailed by competitive interactions, resulting in earlier peak rates and lower total accumulated nutrients and biomass compared to cultivation as isolated single plants. Different pathways led to overyielding in the two mixtures. The oat-camelina mixture was characterized by a shift from belowground temporal niche partitioning of resource uptake to aboveground competition for light during the growing season. The oat-lupin mixture showed strong competitive interactions, where lupin eventually overyielded due to reliance on atmospheric N and stronger competitiveness for soil P compared to oat. Synthesis: This study demonstrates temporal shifts to earlier peak rates of plants growing with neighbors compared to those growing alone, with changes in uptake patterns suggesting that observed temporal shifts in our experiment were driven by competitive interactions rather than active plant behavior to reduce competition. The two differing pathways to overyielding in the two mixtures highlight the importance of examining temporal dynamics in intercropping systems to understand the underlying mechanisms of overyielding.

Project description:Background and aimsDuring their domestication, maize, bean and squash evolved in polycultures grown by small-scale farmers in the Americas. Polycultures often overyield on low-fertility soils, which are a primary production constraint in low-input agriculture. We hypothesized that root architectural differences among these crops causes niche complementarity and thereby greater nutrient acquisition than corresponding monocultures.MethodsA functional-structural plant model, SimRoot, was used to simulate the first 40 d of growth of these crops in monoculture and polyculture and to determine the effects of root competition on nutrient uptake and biomass production of each plant on low-nitrogen, -phosphorus and -potassium soils.Key resultsSquash, the earliest domesticated crop, was most sensitive to low soil fertility, while bean, the most recently domesticated crop, was least sensitive to low soil fertility. Nitrate uptake and biomass production were up to 7 % greater in the polycultures than in the monocultures, but only when root architecture was taken into account. Enhanced nitrogen capture in polycultures was independent of nitrogen fixation by bean. Root competition had negligible effects on phosphorus or potassium uptake or biomass production.ConclusionsWe conclude that spatial niche differentiation caused by differences in root architecture allows polycultures to overyield when plants are competing for mobile soil resources. However, direct competition for immobile resources might be negligible in agricultural systems. Interspecies root spacing may also be too large to allow maize to benefit from root exudates of bean or squash. Above-ground competition for light, however, may have strong feedbacks on root foraging for immobile nutrients, which may increase cereal growth more than it will decrease the growth of the other crops. We note that the order of domestication of crops correlates with increasing nutrient efficiency, rather than production potential.

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Response of maize and common bean to spatial and temporal differentiation in maize-common bean intercropping.

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