INTERCROPPING COMPACT ARABICA COFFEE HYBRID AT ESTABLISHMENT STAGES WITH FOOD CROPS .2. EFFECTS ON COFFEE YIELDS, BEARING PLANT-COMPONENTS AND ECONOMIC-BENEFITS IN KENYA

Intercropping systems involving Irish potatoes, tomatoes, maize and dr y beans was conducted between 1987 and 1989 at Ruiru, Kenya in newly e stablished compact Arabica coffee hybrid cv. 'Ruiru 11'. Significant ( P < 0.05) reduction of the initial yields of clean coffee by the maize intercrop systems was observed. Irish potatoes, tomatoes and dry bean s intercropping systems did not affect the coffee yields, coffee bean sizes, raw, roast and liquor quality adversely. A non significant coff ee yield improvement was noted when the food crops were intercropped a t alternate coffee inter-rows than in all the coffee inter-rows. All t he intercrops gave positive net economic benefits per hectare per year . Maize planted at alternate coffee inter-rows gave the highest margin al rate of economic return followed by tomatoes in combination with dr y beans. It was concluded that, maize was not suitable as an intercrop in young coffee at coffee field establishment stages but Irish potato es tomatoes and dry beans can be considered.