Abstract

Ndiso J. B., Chemining

An experiment was carried out at Pwani University and Kenya Agricultural and Livestock Research Organization-Mtwapa to determine the effects of intercropping on soil moisture, canopy temperature and yield performance of maize-cowpea intercrops in the coastal lowland of Kenya in 2011 and 2012. Randomized complete block design with a factorial arrangement of treatments used and replicated thrice. Data collected included: soil moisture content, canopy temperature, weed biomass, chlorophyll content, percent ground cover, leaf number, plant height, grain weight and grain yield for both maize and cowpea. Cowpea root nodule number, number of pods per plant, number of grains per pod and maize ears per plant and stover yield. Data collected were analyzed using the general linear model (GLM) procedure for analysis of variance using SAS statistical package and means separated using least significant difference (LSD) test at p = 0.05. Sole cowpea and maize-cowpea intercrop had higher moisture content than sole maize plots. Intercropping reduced chlorophyll content, weed biomass, growth attributes, yield and yield components of maize and cowpea, but increased canopy temperature and cowpea nodule numbers. Land equivalent ratios for Lamu-cowpea and DH04-cowpea intercrops were 1.23 and 1.49, respectively. Intercropping enhanced moisture retention and was more productive than sole cropping.