Abstract
A diagnostic survey carried out in 1997 to obtain baseline information on the farming situation in Transkei area of South Africa, showed that agriculture in this area was characterized by low technological inputs which invariably led to low agricultural outputs. The main farming system of the majority of the farmers (98%) was based on intercropping involving maize, beans and pumpkin combined in an haphazard fashion. Based on the above findings, two field experiments were set up in 1998 designed to bring out the best planting combinations for maize/beans and maize/pumpkin intercrops which could be introduced to the farmers. Effect of weeding on the intercrops was also investigated. In both intercrops, intercropping adversely affected the plant heights and circumferences of the component crops. Also, the yield of the individual crop in each intercrop was depressed by intercropping compared with its sole yield. In maize/beans intercrop, the yield of maize was depressed by 15% and that of beans by 13%. However in both intercrops, productivity as measured by Land Equivalent Ratio (LER) was the highest with maize at 10000 plants/ha combined with beans at 150000 plants/ha (2·60) with weeding while the combination with the best LER (1·50) in maize/pumpkin intercrop was at 30000 plants/ha of maize combined with pumpkin at 2500 plants/ha, with weeding. However, before any final recommendation is made, the profitability of each combination has to be considered. Weeding was found to enhance intercrop yields in maize/bean combination by 35% and by 30% in maize/pumpkin combination.
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Claims 9
Claim · model-written summary
Intercropping adversely affected plant heights and circumferences of the component crops.
Verbatim
e1“intercropping adversely affected the plant heights and circumferences of the component crops”
Claim · model-written summary
Intercropping depressed the yield of each individual crop compared with its sole yield.
Verbatim
e1“intercropping adversely affected the plant heights and circumferences of the component crops”
e2“the yield of the individual crop in each intercrop was depressed by intercropping compared with its sole yield”
Claim · model-written summary
In maize/beans intercrop, maize yield was depressed by 15% compared with sole maize.
- Treatment
- maize/beans intercrope3
- Outcome
- yield of maizee3
- Direction
- depressede3
- Value
- 15%e3
- Comparator
- its sole yielde2
Zea maysOrganisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e2“the yield of the individual crop in each intercrop was depressed by intercropping compared with its sole yield”
e3“In maize/beans intercrop, the yield of maize was depressed by 15% and that of beans by 13%”
Claim · model-written summary
In maize/beans intercrop, bean yield was depressed by 13% compared with sole beans.
Verbatim
e2“the yield of the individual crop in each intercrop was depressed by intercropping compared with its sole yield”
e3“In maize/beans intercrop, the yield of maize was depressed by 15% and that of beans by 13%”
Claim · model-written summary
Land Equivalent Ratio was highest for maize at 10000 plants/ha combined with beans at 150000 plants/ha with weeding (2.60).
- Treatment
- maize at 10000 plants/ha combined with beans at 150000 plants/hae4
- Outcome
- Land Equivalent Ratio (LER)e4
- Direction
- higheste4
- Value
- 2·60e4
- Qualifier
- with weedinge4
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e4“productivity as measured by Land Equivalent Ratio (LER) was the highest with maize at 10000 plants/ha combined with beans at 150000 plants/ha (2·60) with weeding”
Claim · model-written summary
The best Land Equivalent Ratio in maize/pumpkin intercrop (1.50) was at 30000 plants/ha of maize with pumpkin at 2500 plants/ha, with weeding.
- Treatment
- 30000 plants/ha of maize combined with pumpkin at 2500 plants/hae5
- Outcome
- LERe5
- Direction
- beste5
- Value
- 1·50e5
- Qualifier
- with weedinge5
Organisms pictured · Representative pictures of the matched species, not figures from the paper.
Verbatim
e5“the combination with the best LER (1·50) in maize/pumpkin intercrop was at 30000 plants/ha of maize combined with pumpkin at 2500 plants/ha, with weeding”
Claim · model-written summary
Weeding enhanced intercrop yields in the maize/bean combination by 35%.
Not reportedComparator
Verbatim
e6“Weeding was found to enhance intercrop yields in maize/bean combination by 35% and by 30% in maize/pumpkin combination”
Claim · model-written summary
Weeding enhanced intercrop yields in the maize/pumpkin combination by 30%.
Not reportedComparator
Verbatim
e6“Weeding was found to enhance intercrop yields in maize/bean combination by 35% and by 30% in maize/pumpkin combination”
Claim · model-written summary
About 98% of surveyed farmers in Transkei followed a maize, bean and pumpkin intercropping system.
Verbatim
e7“The main farming system of the majority of the farmers (98%) was based on intercropping involving maize, beans and pumpkin combined in an haphazard fashion”
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