Growth and Yield of Maize in Eucalyptus Tree Alley Cropping Agroforestry Practice in Kafa Zone, Ethiopia

Abstract Background and Objective: Recently, the agenda of Eucalyptus has been debatable because of its both positive and negative arguments. And different research results and scientific literature on the environmental impact of Eucalyptus trees show complex, inconsistent, and site-specific results. The objective of the study was to evaluate the growth and yield of maize in Eucalyptus hedgerow agroforestry practice in Decha Woreda southwest Ethiopia. Materials and Methods: Randomized Complete Block Design with three replication was employed for this study. Plant height, the number of cobs, cob weight, 100 seed weight, biomass and grain yield parameters for maize growth performance and diameter at breast height (DBH) and height data were measured to evaluate the effect of eucalyptus tree species on the intercropped plants/maize. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) was performed and treatment separation was made by using Least Significance Difference (LSD) at a 95% probability level. Results: Maize grain yield variation within the treatment was not significant in the first year cropping season, however, yield advantage was obtained under Eucalyptus camaldulensis hedgerow. In the second and third-year cropping seasons, grain yield variations were significant (P≤0.05) and consistently declined under the hedge row of Eucalyptus species as compared to sole cropping. Among the four eucalyptus tree species evaluated in hedge row arrangement, Eucalyptus grandis and Eucalyptus salignasignificantly (P≤0.05) affected the maize grain yield in the second and third cropping seasons. In the case of tree growth performance, Eucalyptus salignaand Eucalyptus grandis attained higher height and diameter at breast height. Whereas the reduced growth performance in height and diameter at breast height as compared to the treatment but not in annual growth reference level was recorded in eucalyptus camaldulensis and eucalyptus citriodora. Also, this study reveals the non-significance effect of the eucalyptus species on soil moisture near the hedgerows. Even though, the advantage of soil moisture under eucalyptus camaldulensis was recorded for three consecutive years. Conclusion: Therefore, farmers who planted Eucalyptus camaldulensis with maize intercropping, in a hedge row arrangement with enough space (8m) between hedgerows could obtain both wood and food products from a unit land area. However, as a precaution, it is important to set management options which may reduce competition between trees and annual crops since both products are vital for farmers.