Journal of Economics and Sustainable Development www.iiste.org ISSN 2222-1700 (Paper) ISSN 2222-2855 (Online) Vol.10, No.19, 2019 1 Advantage of Intercropping Roselle with Common Bean over Sole Cropping in Ethiopia Dejene Tadesse Banjaw Ethiopian Institute of Agricultural Research, Wondo Genet Agricultural Research Center, P.O. box 198 Shashamane, Ethiopia Abstract This experiment was conducted in Ethiopia, during 2017/2018 dry season to determine the roselle-common bean advantage over sole cropping through competition indices. The experiment was carried out in a RCBD with a 2x4 factorial arrangement of two roselle varieties with four planting densities of common bean plus three sole cropping. It was replicated three times having 11 treatments (sole cropping of two roselle varieties (Hibiscus-Sudan and Hibiscus-Jamaica) and a common bean variety (Ibbado) and intercropping of the two roselle varieties with four common bean planting densities combinations (25%, 50%, 75%, and 100%)). Data analysis was done using SAS software version 9.3 and the differences between means were assessed using Duncan`s Multiple Range Test at 5% probability level. Partial land equivalent ratio (LER) analysis showed that there was no significant difference between two roselle varieties while partial LER of common was significantly higher when intercropped with Hibiscus-Sudan (0.51) than with Hibiscus-Jamaica (0.38). Both roselle varieties and common bean planting density did not influence total LER and monetary advantage index (MAI). However, intercropping Hibiscus-Sudan variety resulted higher yield advantage (35%) and monetary advantage (17,946 ETB) and combination of common bean with roselle at 100% planting density resulted 39% yield advantage and 21,410 ETB. Therefore, we recommend combination of Hibiscus-Sudan and 100% planting density of common bean for growers in the same agroecology with the study area for better yield and economic advantage. Keywords: Competition indices, intercropping mixture, LER DOI: 10.7176/JESD/10-19-01 Publication date:October 31 st 2019 Introduction Intercropping which is growing two or more crops on the same land unit in a particular growing season (Sullivan, 2003) seen as advantageous in the world, particularly in developing world for enhancing yield per unit area to answer food and feed requests of growing population. Despite of some limitations, intercropping has various advantages over sole cropping, such as, it increases yield per unit area (Ali et al., 2015), avoids a risk of total yield loss as when one crop fails the producer may harvest the other crop (Heydari et al., 2016), and improves household income of the producers (Zhang et al., 2015). Another important aspect of intercropping is the reduction of the negative impact of weed, insect, and disease incidences compared to sole cropping (Lithourgidis et al., 2011). The yield and economic advantage of intercropping might be due to efficient use of limited resources like arable land. In Ethiopia, a country where population has been increasing and where the size of arable land was being reduced to due to environmental and urbanization, intercropping is assumed important practice to increase yield per unit area bean (Hirpa, 2014; Adafre, 2016). Studies reported the advantage of intercropping through combinations of different crop species, including medicinal plants in the country (Lulie and Bogale, 2014). Roselle (Hibiscus sabdariffa L.), belonging to the family Malvaceae, is one of the important medicinal plants grown in tropical and subtropical regions mainly for its calyx (Plotto et al., 2004). In addition to its health benefit, roselle has industrial and nutritional values (Mahadevan and Kamboj, 2009). Compatibility and higher intercrop productivity of roselle with legume crops were reported (Heydari et al., 2016; Gendy et al., 2017). However, the performance of roselle in intercropping system has not been well known in Ethiopia, except some inter and intra row spacing determination (Gebremedin, 2015) and cost-benefit studies during direct sowing and transplanting roselle varieties (Girma et al., 2014). Cultivation of roselle is restricted to few growers though it is an important medicinal plant in the country. Lack of appropriate cropping system and weak research-extension linkage are among the main production constraints of roselle in Sidama zone of the Southern Nations, Nationalities, and Peoples Region (SNNPR) of Ethiopia. Hence, in order to expand the production of this crop and provide a quality product to the domestic and foreign markets, identification of a certain cropping system, like intercropping with legume crops such as common bean, can be one of the best options. Therefore, identification and utilization of a suitable cropping system for different roselle varieties can play a key role to increase productivity of the crop and land use efficiency in potential growing areas. Hence, this study was initiated to evaluate productivity of two different roselle varieties intercropped with different planting densities of common bean using competition indices.