Effect of maize sweet potato intercrop over sole cropping system on weed infestation

Nayan, G Z and Takim, F.O. and Aremu, C. O. and Okunola, Abiodun A. (2020) Effect of maize sweet potato intercrop over sole cropping system on weed infestation. IOP Conference Series: Earth and Environmental Science, 445. pp. 1-10. ISSN 012007

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Abstract

A field experiment was conducted at the Teaching and Research Farm of Landmark University, Omu-Aran, Kwara State, during the 2018 cropping season. located at latitude 80 9’ 0 N and longitude 50 6’ 0 E of the southern Guinea savannah zone of Nigeria. The experiment was laid as a randomized complete block design with a split-plot arrangement and 3 replications. The main plots were 2 trial sites (Site A and B), sub-plots consisted of intercropping pattern : T1: 2 seeds of maize + 1 vine of sweet potato, T2: 2 seeds of maize / 2 vines of Sweet potato, T3: 2 seeds of maize + 3 vines of sweet potato; T4: sole maize and T5: Sole Sweet Potato. Data collected on weed were estimated using a quadrat (25cm x 25cm) placed randomly at 5 positions within each sub plot at 3, 6, 9 and 12 WAP. All data collected were analyzed with analysis of variance (ANOVA) at P<0.05. Results showed that there was better grain yield of 1.89 t/ha intercrop of maize – sweet potato at ratio 2 : 2 of seeds / hill to vines / stand with better weed suppression and optimum tuber yield of 1.72 t/ha. Actual yield loss in the study was very high in the cropping system 2 seed of maize + 3 vine of sweet potato with -0.85 and in maize weed suppression percentage (%), 2 seed of maize +1 vine of sweet potato highly suppressed weed with 98.2% at 6 weeks after planting (WAP) and it showed 48% weed suppression in 2 seed of maize + 3 vine of sweet potato at 9 weeks after planting (WAP). Sweet potato weed suppression showed highest weed suppression of 37.2% at 3 weeks after planting (WAP) in 2 seed of maize + 2 vines of sweet potato. The highest competitive ratio occur in the cropping system 2 seed of maize + 1vine of sweet potato with 4.06 value. Maize showed the highest lnd equivalent value of 0.79 better than sweet potato and both maize and sweet potato combined had the highest land coverage in 2 seed of maize and 2 vines of sweet potato with 1.19 value. It is concluded from the study that the cropping system of 2 seed of maize + 1 vine of sweet potato gave the high response to weed suppression.

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