Effect of intercropping bean with maize on bean common bacterial blight and rust diseases

Abstract

The effect of intercropping bean with maize on bean common bacterial blight and rust was evaluated under three cropping systems: mixed intercropping, row intercropping, and sole cropping of bean using five bean cultivars in a randomized complete block design. Both mixed and row intercropping significantly decreased incidence and severity levels of both diseases compared with sole cropping (P < 0.05). In mixed intercropping, common bacterial blight incidence levels were reduced by an average of 23% and 5% compared with sole cropping and row intercropping, respectively. Similarly, mixed intercropping reduced rust incidence levels on average by 51 % and 25% relative to sole cropping and row intercropping, respectively. The cultivars also differed significantly in their susceptibility to both diseases (P < 0.05). Rust and common bacterial blight incidence assessed at three bean growth stages for each cultivar interact significantly with cropping systems (P < 0.05).