International Journal of Plant and Animal Sciences

International Journal of Plant and Animal Sciences Vol. 1 (1), pp. 011-020, March, 2013. © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Effects of intercropping systems and the application of Tundulu Rock phosphate on groundnut grain yield in Central Malawi

Austin Tenthani Phiri¹*, Joyce Prisca Njoloma^2,5, George Yobe Kanyama-Phiri³, Sieglinde Snapp⁴ and Max William Lowole³

¹Bvumbwe Agricultural Research Station, Box 5748, Limbe, Blantyre, Malawi.

²Department of Forestry and Horticulture, Bunda College of Agriculture University of Malawi, P.O. Box 219

Lilongwe, Malawi.

³Department of Crop Science, Bunda College of Agriculture University of Malawi, P.O. Box 219 Lilongwe, Malawi.

⁴Crop and Soil Science Department, Kellogg Biological Station, Michigan State University, U.S.A.

⁵World Agroforestry Centre, ICRAF Southern Africa, Chitedze Agricultural Research Station, P.O. Box 30798,

Lilongwe 3, Malawi.

*Corresponding author. E-mail: [email protected]. Tel: +265996735091

Accepted 26 November, 2012

Abstract

Low soil fertility remains a major constraint in agricultural production in Malawi. Legumes hold the promise of being a cheap alternative to improve soil fertility owing to their ability of fixing atmospheric nitrogen (N₂). Growing two leguminous crops on a piece of land at the same time and applying phosphorus (P) may increase N₂ fixation while at the same time realizing high grain yield from the legumes. A study therefore, was conducted to investigate the effect on nitrogen fixation and grain yield in a groundnut/pigeon pea intercrop, groundnut/maize intercrop treated with an indigenous rock phosphate (TRP) and groundnut treated TRP. Researcher designed but farmer managed trials involving eight farmers were mounted on farm. Treatments were laid out in a randomized complete block design. The results indicated an apparent significant (P<0.05) groundnut grain yield reduction in the groundnut/pigeon pea intercrop (1,163 kg ha^-1) and groundnut/maize intercrop (910 kg ha^-1) below the groundnut sole crop (1,644 kg ha^-1) and the groundnut that was treated with the TRP (1,518 kg ha^-1). However, both intercrops showed yield advantage (total LER >1.0) compared with the monoculture on equal land area. The application of the TRP appeared not to have affected the grain yield.

Key words: Groundnut, Malawi, pigeon pea, rock phosphate.