Assessment of Plant Population and Time of Introduction of Maizeon the Performance of Garden egg - Maize Intercrop

Abstract

The field trials were conducted during the rainy and dry seasons of 2014 and 2015 to investigate the influence of population density and time of introduction of the component maize on the performance of garden egg/maize intercrop in Nigeria. The trial was laid as a randomised complete block design in a split-plot arrangement with 3 replications. The main plots were time of introduction of maize [2weeks before transplanting (WBT), same time with transplanting (STT) and 2 weeks after transplanting (WAT)] while 9 plant population ratios were the sub plots (100M: 100G, 100M: 75G, 100M: 50G, 100M: 25G 100M: 0, 0:100G, 25M: 100G, 50M: 100G, 75M: 100G). Intercropping system was evaluated using competitive indices and data collected on yield and yield components of both crops were subjected to analysis of variance. Maize sown STT garden egg had significantly high grain yield (3.70 t/ha) while the highest garden egg fruit yields of 40.96 t/ha was obtained when maize was introduced 2 WAT garden egg. This study recommends that, 50-75% maize should be introduced 2WAT of 100% garden egg during the dry season where irrigation facilities are available for optimal crops yields and minimal intercrop losses.

Keywords

• transplanting time
• population rates
• dry season cultivation
• rain-fed production
• competitive indices.