Growth and yield performance of cassava under different plant population densities of two cowpea varieties in a cassava/cowpea intercrop
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Abstract
Intercropping cassava with early maturing leguminous cover crop within the first three months can minimise the incidence of weeds in cassava farms and improve the yield of cassava. Studies were conducted in 2018 and 2019 cropping seasons to assess the effect of intercropping cassava with different populations of two cowpea varieties on the growth and yield of the component crops. The results indicated that yield and yield components of cassava were significantly higher in the intercropped cassava than the sole cassava in both cropping seasons. Significantly, the highest root yield was obtained when cassava was intercropped with cowpea at a cowpea population of 332,000 plants/ha in both cropping seasons, whereas the lowest root yield was recorded from intercropped cassava at cowpea population density of 110,000 plants/ha. Intercropped cowpea at a population density of 332,000 plants/ha had significantly the highest biomass yield in the 2018 and 2019 cropping seasons. The relative yield total, expressed as land equivalent ratio of the two crops was greater than 1.0 in all the intercrop plots. Intercropping enhanced the growth and storage root yield of cassava compared to sole cassava. The findings from this study suggest that cowpea can be successfully intercropped with cassava during the first three months of cassava growth without having any significant negative effect on cassava root yield for additional income
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