The experiment was conducted on intercropping of
lupine (Lupinus albus L.)
with wheat (Triticum aestivum),
barley (Hordeum vulgar)
and finger millet (Eleusine coracana) in 2009 at Adet Agricultural research station, in Western
Gojam. The treatments were sole wheat at a seed rate of 175 kg/ha, sole barley
at a seed rate of 125 kg/ha, sole finger millet at a seed rate of 30 kg/ha,
sole lupine at a seed rate of 90 kg/ha, and an additive series of 25, 50 and
75% of the sole lupine seed rate combined with the full cereal seed rate to
determine the effect of intercropping on competition (CR) among the different
species, the land equivalent and area time equivalent ratios (LER and ATER);
and the economic feasibility of each intercropping system(MAI) as compared with
sole cropped. The experimental design was a completely randomized block with
nine intercropping and four sole cropping systems in three replications. Lupine
was planted in rows after establishment of main crops. JMP-5 (SAS, 2002)
software’s was used to compute the analysis of variance. Partial LER of lupine was lower than LER of cereal, indicating an advantage for main crops and a disadvantage for the minor crop.
Values of ATER showed 4.9%-31.3% and 11.1%-37.8% advantage in lupine-wheat
and lupine-finger millet combinations, respectively, whilst lupine-barley
combinations showed ATER of 54.5%-60.9% disadvantage. CR showed dominancy of
wheat and barley over lupine while lupine was higher CR than finger millet.
Positive MAI values were recorded in lupine-wheat and lupine-finger millet
mixtures indicating that these intercropping systems were a definite yield
advantage and the most profitable as compared to sole cropped. In conclusion, the lupine-finger millet mixture at
the 50:100 seeding ratio and 75:100 seeding ratio; and lupine-wheat mixture at
the 75:100 seeding ratio indicated a significant advantage from intercropping
which was attributed to better MAI and land use efficiency (higher LER and
ATER), lower CR and thereby enhanced sustainability of crop production in West
Gojam, but the other socio-economic and cost of production aspects of
intercropping should also be assessed especially under small scale farmers’
conditions.