INTERCROPPING YOUNG ARABICA COFFEE CV CATIMOR WITH GRAIN LEGUMES

Arabica coffee Cv. Catimor was intercropped with five grain legumes re spectively during the first year of coffee establishment at Ruiru, Ken ya. All the grain legumes significantly depressed the coffee yields du ring the third year after field planting. Yield depression of coffee d ue to intercropping was 31, 29, 39, 50 and 30% by dry beans, green pea s, green grams, cowpeas and chick peas respectively compared to the no n-inter-cropped coffee. However, all the grain legumes generated monet ary economic benefits during the period when coffee produced low monet ary returns. The benefits from grain legumes compensated for the loss of income from coffee due to the initial depression of coffee yields e xcept when intercropped with green grams. The highest monetary net eco nomic benefits were obtained from green peas followed by chick peas, c owpeas, dry beans and green grams in that order. There was therefore, ensured early returns from coffee investment.