Dietary nutrient deficiency in small-scale farming communities in South Africa:: Benefits of intercropping maize (Zea mays) and beans (Phaseolus vulgaris)

Intercropping is the growing of two or more crops at the same time on a given piece of land. Intercropping studies have in the past been conducted with a number of crop combinations. The aims of this study were to evaluated intercropping of maize (Zea mays L.) and beans (Phaseolus vulgaris L.) with regard to yield and compare nutrient content in monocropping and intercropping. Land equivalent ratio (LER) and Total Nutrient Content (TNC) were used to assess the benefits of intercropping. Grain yields in both monocropping and intercropping were significantly different (P<0.01) with plant density. There was an advantage in intercropping over monocropping as the LER was above 1.0 in all three densities with the medium density having the highest LER. Similar results were found using Total Nutrient Content (TNC). There were significant differences in dietary nutrient content (P<0.01) between intercropping and monocropping. (C) 1999 Elsevier Science Inc.