Sustainable strategies for enhancing maize yields, nutrition, and economic security through legume intercropping in semi-arid regions

Over the years, maize productivity in the semi-arid regions is increasingly constrained by climate variability, soil nutrient depletion and rising input costs, questioning the sustained productivity posing risks to food and livelihood security. Numerous earlier studies involving plant geometry options (PGOs), legume intercropping (ICs) and nutrient management options (NMOs) in maize showed enhanced yield and economic benefits. However, region-specific strategies integrating productivity, nutritional grains and economic resilience remain underexplored. To address this, a field experiment was carried for two consecutive years employing two plant geometry options (normal planting vs. paired row planting), four intercrops (French bean, cowpea, field bean, and pole bean) and two nutrient management options [(N1: recommended dose of fertilizer to base crop (RBC) and N2: RBC + intercrop (RBI)]. Results showed that, paired row planting of maize enhanced seed yield, stover yield, maize equivalent yield, and net returns by 8.14%, 8.50%, 8.04%, and 11.7%, respectively over normal planting. Between the NMOs, recommended dose of fertilizers supplied to both base and intercrops (RBC + RBI) significantly improved the seed yield, stover yield, maize equivalent yield, and net returns by12.5%, 11.3%, 12.5%, and 14.4%, respectively compared to supplying recommended dose of nutrients to maize only (RBC). Further, soil beneficial microbial activity, nutrient status after crop harvest, land utilization indices and economic returns were also higher under intercropping supplied with the recommended dose of nutrients to both maize and intercrops. Specifically, maize intercropped with French bean in a paired row planting method supplied with recommended dose of nutrients to both the crops is recommended for achieving higher yield and economic returns besides yield sustainability in the semi-arid regions.