EFFECTS OF INTERCROPPING YOUNG PLANTS OF THE COMPACT ARABICA COFFEE HYBRID CULTIVAR RUIRU-11 WITH POTATOES, TOMATOES, BEANS AND MAIZE ON COFFEE YIELDS AND ECONOMIC RETURNS IN KENYA
Jm. Njoroge et al., EFFECTS OF INTERCROPPING YOUNG PLANTS OF THE COMPACT ARABICA COFFEE HYBRID CULTIVAR RUIRU-11 WITH POTATOES, TOMATOES, BEANS AND MAIZE ON COFFEE YIELDS AND ECONOMIC RETURNS IN KENYA, Experimental Agriculture, 29(3), 1993, pp. 373-377
The effects of intercropping young plants of the compact arabica coffe
e hybrid cultivar Ruiru 11 with potatoes, tomatoes, maize and Phascolu
s (dry) beans were studied between 1987 and 1989 at Ruiru in Kenya. Yi
elds of clean (hulled) coffee were reduced by the maize intercrop by 5
9-100%. Coffee bean size, and raw, roast and liquor quality were not s
ignificantly affected by the potato, tomato and bean intercrops, which
gave positive net economic benefits. Potatoes planted between all the
coffee rows gave the largest marginal rate of economic return, follow
ed by tomatoes in combination with beans. The technically and economic
ally viable intercrops for coffee were potatoes, tomatoes, beans, and
tomatoes in combination with beans.