Arubalueze, C.U., Mouneke, C.O., Remison, S.U., Achebe, U.A. and Udeorah, S.N. |
ABSTRACT
A field experiment was carried out in the 2013/2014 and 2014/2015 cropping seasons to determine the influence of cropping system and NPK-15-15-15 fertilizer rates (0, 150, 300 and 450kg per hectare) on the growth and yield of cassava, maize and cowpea at Igbariam sub-station of the National Root Crops Research Institute, Umudike, Nigeria. The experiment was a randomized complete block design (RCBD) consisting of twenty-eight treatment combinations replicated three times. Growth and yield attributes of the component crops performed better in their sole crops than when intercropped. Fertilizer application significantly (<0.05) increased growth and yield components of cassava (leaf area index, plant height, number of marketable roots/plant and fresh root yield/ha), maize (leaf area index, plant height, number of grains/cob, cob length and grain yield/ha) and vegetable cowpea (leaf area index, vine length, number of seeds/pod, pod length and fresh pod yield/ha). In both cropping seasons, incremental application of fertilizer rate up to 480kg/ha increased these parameters. There were yield advantages in all the intercrop treatments, with the highest yield advantage of 2.71 and 2.72 in the 2013/2014 and 2014/2015 seasons respectively at a rate of 450kg/ha in cassava/maize/cowpea. Also the greatest monetary returns, N3,294,700.00/ha and N3,306,300.00/ha were achieved at 450kg/ha N.P.K. in cassava/maize/cowpea intercrop in 2013/2014 and 2014/2015 respectively. It is therefore recommended that application of 450 kg/ha NPK fertilizer be used if cassava, maize and vegetable, cowpea are intercropped. |
KEYWORDS: |
Cassava, maize, vegetable, cowpea, fertilizer rate, productivity |
