Some aspects of amaizing annual legumes

Abstract

Intercropping maize (Zea mays L.) with annual legumes is distributed throughout the world, mostly in subtopic and tropic regions of Africa, Asia and South America, including warm season legumes cowpea (Vigna unguiculata (L.) Walp.), pigeonpea (Cajanus cajan (L.) Huth), common bean (Phaseulus vulgaris L.) and soybean (Glycine max (L.) Merr.). Numerous studies of maize/legumes intercropping underline its role in soil erosion control, weed and pests management, water use efficiency, light distribution and use, nutrient availability and uptake, and more efficient use of land (LER>1). Exudates from maize stimulate nodulation biomass production of legumes, whereas maize uptake N stimulates nitrogen fixation in conditions of competition for N. In temperate regions, cool season legumes can be intercropped with maize, where different sowing dates and growth dynamic allow different temporal and spatial use of environmental resources. Such intercrops are grown on smaller areas in developing countries, while in China it is practiced on larger scale, especially with pea (Pisum sativum L.). In Serbia and other Balkan countries, intercropping maize with annual legumes is present in many regions, especially on small fields and in gardens.