Abstract
Intercropping involves the cultivation of two or more crops on the same field in both space and time. It is a farming practice that has existed throughout history and one which mimics natural diversity. Intercropping has several advantages over monocropping which include improved resource utilization of light, water and nutrients, as well as yield stability over time. It is a practice that historically contributed towards food security within communities. It offers a sustainable alternative to the more widely practiced monocropping. However, it has been widely regarded as a primitive practice and this has created a scenario whereby there was scant research done on intercropping.
Intercropping as a practice bears huge similarity with neglected crops. Neglected crops too have been regarded as “traditional” crops and have been neglected by researchers, farmers and communities. Despite that they represent a rich biodiversity which has now been lost. Additionally, similar to intercropping, neglected crops have played a historical role of food security and nutritious diets for people. In KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa, taro (Colocasia esculenta L. Schott) and bambara (Vigna subterranea L. Verdc) landraces represent neglected underutilised crops. Taro has improved in status due to recently improved access to markets. On the other hand, bambara groundnut, despite being highly nutritious, has lost its popularity amongst rural farmers of KwaZulu-Natal, South Africa.
Intercropping taro and bambara groundnut allows farmers to mimic historical diversity that existed in traditional agroecosystems. This study aimed at evaluating productivity of a taro-bambara intercrop under rainfed conditions. Field trials were planted over two summer seasons, 2010/2011 and 2011/2012, in the rural areas of KwaZulu-Natal. Treatments included taro and bambara sole crops as well as 1:1 (taro: bambara) and 1:2 intercrops. Growth and yield parameters were determined separately for each crop. Thereafter, land equivalent ratio (LER) was calculated to evaluate productivity of the intercrop. Plant height of taro, as the main crop, showed no significant increase or decrease in response to intercropping. Intercropping taro reduced leaf number. Increasing the proportion of bambara in the intercrop combinations lowered leaf number of taro in the 1:2 intercrop relative to the 1:1 intercrop. However, bambara groundnut growth was favoured by intercropping. Bambara groundnut plants were taller and had more leaves under intercropping. Yield was lower under intercropping. We showed that, compared with the added benefit of having a second crop, the extent of such reduction in taro and bambara yields were negligible. Furthermore, LER showed that intercropping taro was more productive than sole cropping. On average, for both seasons, the 1:1 intercrop had a LER of 1.53 compared with 1.23 for the 1:2 intercrop. It is concluded that intercropping taro and bambara at a ratio of 1:1 is feasible and productive under rainfed conditions.
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Acknowledgements
Water Research Commission of South Africa K5/1771/4 Water-Use of Drought Tolerant Crops. WRC Knowledge Review 2008–09.
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Mabhaudhi, T., Modi, A.T. (2014). Intercropping Taro and Bambara Groundnut. In: Lichtfouse, E. (eds) Sustainable Agriculture Reviews. Sustainable Agriculture Reviews, vol 13. Springer, Cham. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-319-00915-5_9
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