Academic Research Journal of Agricultural Science and Research
 

Academic Research Journal of Agricultural Science and Research 

Vol. 4(3), pp. 66-75. March, 2016.

ISSN: 2360-7874 

 DOI: 10.14662/ARJASR2016.002

Full Length Research

Influence of Weeding Frequency and Pigeonpea (Cajanus_Cajan L. Millsp) Population Density on Growth, Yield and Yield Components of Maize-Pigeon_Pea Intercropping

Fitsum Merkeb¹*,  Demelash Kefale (PhD)² and Tenaw Werkayehu (PhD)³

¹Ethiopian Institute of Agricultural Research, Pawe Research Center, Tel. +251585500270, Fax +251585500336

²Hawassa University College of Agriculture, Department of Plant science, Hawassa, Ethiopia.

³Southern Agricultural Research Institute, Hawassa Agricultural Research Center, Hawassa, Ethiopia.

*Corresponding author: fitsummerkeb8@gmail.com 

Accepted 30 March 2016

A field experiment was conducted to evaluate the influence of weeding frequency and pigeon_pea population density on the performance and productivity of maize-pigeon_pea intercropping at Hawassa.  Treatment combinations consisting of two weeding frequency and three pigeon_pea population densities intercropped with maize and sole crops of maize and pigeon_pea were tested in randomized complete block design (RCBD) with three replications. The results indicated that increase in weeding frequency to twice caused 83.6% reduction in weed biomass as compared to weeding only once. On the other hand increasing the pigeon_pea population density to 187,000 and 250,000 plants ha^-1 decreased weed biomass by 34.6 and 23.8% respectively. Growth parameters and yield components were also significantly influenced by weeding frequency rather than population density. Pigeon_pealeaf area index and grain yield were significantly affected by all the treatments. Significantly higher grain yield (4.17t/ ha) of maize and (0.80t/ha) of pigeon_pea were obtained from weeding twice. The highest grain yield was obtained from the highest pigeon_pea population density 250,000plants ha^-1. Land use efficiency was increased by weeding frequency. The highest total LER (1.26) was obtained from weeding twice. Total LER of 1.24 was recorded from pigeon_pea plant population of 250,000 plants ha-¹.

Key word: Maize, pigeonpea, LER, weeding frequency, plant density

How to cite this article: Merkeb F, Kefale D, Werkayehu T (2016). Influence of Weeding Frequency and Pigeonpea (Cajanus_Cajan L. Millsp) Population Density on Growth, Yield and Yield Components of Maize-Pigeon_Pea Intercropping. Acad. Res. J. Agri. Sci. Res. 4(3): 66-75.

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