Maize plant types suitable for present and possible bean relay systems in Central America

By:

WOOLLEY, J.N

Contributor(s):

SMITH, M.E

Material type: Article

ArticleLanguage: English Description: 15(1):3-16Subject(s): LOC classification:

28900

In: Field Crops ResearchSummary: The effect of maize plant type on yields of bush and semiclimbing beans planted at maize physiological maturity was studied and the way rainfall and pests determine the variants of this relay system used by farmers in Central America are described. The possibility of avoiding end-of-season drought in bean relay crops by advancing their planting date relative to maize was also investigated. Two trials of maize cv. x bean planting date x bean cv. in relay cropping were planted under exptl. station conditions in Costa Rica. Two complementary trials were planted on farmers' fields in Nicaragua. There were no interactions of maize cv. x bean cv., indicating that within the relay system, genetic improvement of maize and bush or semiclimbing beans may proceed separately, rather than simultaneously. When beans were planted at maize physiological maturity, differences in bean yield in relay with different maize cv. were not significant. The mean advantage over sole cropping was 18 percent. When, however, beans were planted 20 days before maize physiological maturity, less-leafy maize cv. depressed bean yield by 7 percent, while more-leafy cv. depressed bean yield by 32 percent. Although the less-leafy maize cv. used were earlier and yielded less, there was an economic advantage in using these, provided that the bean:maize price ratio was above 2.45. In order to plant beans before maize physiological maturity, attention should be paid to breeding less-leafy maize cv. which are not earlier maturing and thus yield the same as present cv., while competing less with beans. (AS)

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Holdings
Item type	Current library	Collection	Call number	Copy number	Status	Date due	Barcode	Item holds
Journal Article	CIAT Library Document collection CINFOS	Document Collection CINFOS	28900 (Browse shelf(Opens below))	c.1	Short Loan		100064258

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The effect of maize plant type on yields of bush and semiclimbing beans planted at maize physiological maturity was studied and the way rainfall and pests determine the variants of this relay system used by farmers in Central America are described. The possibility of avoiding end-of-season drought in bean relay crops by advancing their planting date relative to maize was also investigated. Two trials of maize cv. x bean planting date x bean cv. in relay cropping were planted under exptl. station conditions in Costa Rica. Two complementary trials were planted on farmers' fields in Nicaragua. There were no interactions of maize cv. x bean cv., indicating that within the relay system, genetic improvement of maize and bush or semiclimbing beans may proceed separately, rather than simultaneously. When beans were planted at maize physiological maturity, differences in bean yield in relay with different maize cv. were not significant. The mean advantage over sole cropping was 18 percent. When, however, beans were planted 20 days before maize physiological maturity, less-leafy maize cv. depressed bean yield by 7 percent, while more-leafy cv. depressed bean yield by 32 percent. Although the less-leafy maize cv. used were earlier and yielded less, there was an economic advantage in using these, provided that the bean:maize price ratio was above 2.45. In order to plant beans before maize physiological maturity, attention should be paid to breeding less-leafy maize cv. which are not earlier maturing and thus yield the same as present cv., while competing less with beans. (AS) eng