Effect of intercropping maize and beans on striga incidence and grain yield

Abstract

Intercrops can smother weeds in cereal crops and improve the overall productivity. Although intercropping with beans has long been practised in the region, a practical bean population and arrangement is required in the management of Striga, other weeds and soil fertility to increase maize and bean yields. To study whether parasitic weeds like Striga hermonthica can be suppressed and controlled by intercropping, on-farm experiments were conducted in farmers' fields, at Nyadwera, Emabwi, Emuhaya and Kaura in Western Kenya to evaluate maize/bean inter-cropping practices that reduce Striga infestation and increase maize and bean yields during the 1999 cropping seasons. Maize was planted simultaneously with beans using different bean planting patterns. The planting system of beans had no influence on Striga infestation of maize in Nyadwera and Emuhaya during both seasons