ABSTRACT
The experiment was conducted in a farmer’s field located by the David Ejoor Army Barracks Effurun within Warri metropolis (latitude 5° 31' N and Longitude 5° 45' E), Nigeria in 2012 and 2013 cropping seasons. The factors studied were cropping system and weeding frequency. The levels of the cropping system (CS) were sole maize (CS1), sole egusi-melon (CS2) and maize + egusi melon intercrop (CS3), while weeding regime (WF) consist of four levels, viz; no weeding or control (WF1), weeding at 3WAP (WF2), weeding at 6WAP (WF3) and weeding at 3, 6 and WAP (WF4). The factors were arranged in 4 x 3 factorial with RCBD. The results showed depressed growth and yield of maize and melon when weeding was delayed or non-frequent weeding, while frequent weeding improved crop growth. Maize + melon intercrop reduced weed biomass by 66% (10WAP). Land use efficiency of 63% was achieved in intercrops. |
