NP Fertiliser Rate Response of Maize and Sorghum Succeeding Sole or Intercropped Haricot Beans

The role precursor crops significantly reflected on the preceding crops grown following them. Considering this a trial was conducted to asses the effects of haricot bean varieties grown as sole and intercropped on N/P rate response of succeeding maize and sorghum crop. Haricot bean varieties were significantly affected mean grain yield of maize and sorghum crops. Higher mean grain yield of maize and sorghum has recorded following sole planted haricot bean. Application of recommended rate of fertiliser following precursor crops gave higher mean grain yield of both crops. Significantly higher mean grain yield of maize had obtained with recommended rate of fertiliser indicating the importance of using fertiliser following precursor crop for maize production. Maize following Tibe variety gave higher grain yield as compared following Dicta variety. Sorghum following Dicta gave higher grain yield as compared to following Tibe variety. This indicates maize was suitable for climbing bean varieties (Tibe) as compared bush (Dicta) and vise verse for sorghum. This was due to the morphological structure of maize and sorghum and the plant population of both crops. Planting of maize and sorghum following sole planted haricot bean varieties gave higher grain yield and economically profitable as compared to following intercropped beans revealing the existence of competition between crop type in intercropping system and need for additional supply fertiliser for intercropping than using recommended fertiliser rate of the main crop. Suitability of haricot bean varieties for cropping sequence varies with crop type indicating the importance of investigating different haricot bean varieties for cropping systems. Therefore production of maize and sorghum following sole planted haricot bean with 75 % of the recommended fertiliser rate or recommended nitrogen and phosphorous fertiliser rate was suitable cropping sequence, gave higher yield and economically feasible and recommended for maize and sorghum producers of the region and similar environments.