Yield Potential and Monetary Advantage Index of Maize Intercropped with Grain Legumes in Anyigba, Kogi State, Nigeria

Traditional mixtures of food crop species involve intercrop of plants with dissimilar size and growth cycle on the field. However, the Relative Yield Potential (RYP) and Land Equivalent Ratios (LER) of these mixtures are given less prejudice especially in monetary terms by ancient farmers. This necessitate an experiment conducted during the 2016 and 2018 rainy seasons. The treatments consisted of Maize (TZESR – Open Pollinated), Cowpea (Sampea - 7), Peanut (Samnut - 24) and Soybean (TGX 713 – 09D) as sole crops sown at seed rates of 25 and 50 kgha-1 for maize and legumes respectively. The grain legumes were intercropped with maize in the ratio of 4:1, 2:1 or 1:1 as additional rows in between the normal rows of maize planted at a spacing of 75 x 25cm. Results revealed that intercropping of maize with either cowpea, peanut or soybean in 2:1 ratio was most productive in terms of maize equivalent yield and declined thereafter, with increase in the legume proportion, though maintained its superiority over sole planting of maize. Maize intercropped with soybean in the ratios 4:1 gave the highest mean biological maize equivalent compared to its sole planting at different combinations of legumes. Maize + Peanut gave the highest mean Land Equivalent Ratio (1.81) followed by maize + Cowpea (1.74) and maize + soybean (1.59) all sown in the ratio of 2:1. Intercropping of legumes with maize appeared to be more aggressive than sole planting of maize or legumes. Maize + Peanut (2:1) gave the highest mean Monetary Advantage Index (MAI) of 7789.0, Mean Yield Index (MYI) of 79.0. However, regardless of the ratio in which Maize + peanut was combined, result of 47% MAI showed a greater biological relationship, effective competition, hence recommended. Highest cost/benefit ratio (5.09 and 4.45) was obtained with maize + soybean (4:1) during 2016 and 2018, respectively.