Evaluation of moringa oleifera/cassava/maize/sweet potato intercropping systems in Owerri humid rain forest zone of SouthEastern Nigeria
Date
2024-09
Authors
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Publisher
Federal University of Technology, Owerri
Abstract
Achieving food security for a rapidly growing population in the Southeastern zone in particular and in Nigeria in general requires not only the intensification of food crop production on the existing cropland but also and most importantly through the use of good and sustainable agronomic practices and cropping systems. In an attempt to achieve this, an experiment was conducted at the Federal University of Technology, Owerri, Teaching and Research farm of the Department of Crop Science and Technology during 2015 and 2016 cropping seasons on the performance of component crops, weed species suppression, soil nutrient status and economic returns. The experimental design used was randomized complete block design (RCBD), with eleven treatments replicated three times. The treatments were: sole moringa (SMo), sole cassava (SCa), sole maize (SMa), sole sweet potato (SSp), moringa + cassava (Mo + Ca), moringa + maize (Mo + Ma), moringa + sweet potato (Mo + Sp), moringa + cassava + maize (Mo + Ca + Ma), moringa + maize + sweet potato (Mo + Ma + Sp), moringa + cassava + sweet potato (Mo + Ca + Sp), and moringa + cassava + maize + sweet potato (Mo + Ca + Ma + Sp). Results obtained showed that in 2015 and 2016 seasons, organic matter and nitrogen were significantly improved with intercropping. However, other fertility indices decreased with intercropping intensification. Results indicated that annual weed species were predominant with 57.39% and perennial weed species accounting for 32.17% of the total weed species composition in the study site. There were observed significant weed flora suppression due to intercropping compared to sole cropping systems. The agronomic parameters including plant height and leaf area of maize were significantly influenced by intercropping and the sampling durations (2, 4, 6, 8, 10 and 12 weeks after planting (WAP)) for both seasons. Sole maize produced the tallest maize plant (129.20 and 123.10cm), and the largest leaf area (441.75 and 418.60cm2 ) in both cropping seasons. Similarly, maize grain yield was significantly (P≥0.05) influenced by intercropping and sampling periods and sole maize produced the highest grain yield (2.34 and 2.45t/ha) in 2015 and 2016 cropping seasons, respectively. Treatment and sampling period effects on cassava yield were statistically significant (P≥0.05). Sole cassava system produced the highest cassava storage roots (33.60 and 35.97t/ha) in 2015 and 2016 cropping seasons, respectively. As well as in dry matter accumulation (84.23%) in 2015. However, mo + ca system produced the highest dry matter accumulation of 89.07% in 2016. Both the growth performances and yield of sweet potato were significantly influenced by intercropping and the sampling periods. Sole cropping system consistently showed higher values of growth parameters and yield components for both seasons. However, in 2015, dry matter accumulation (DMC) was highest in mo + ma + sp combination. Also, the growth parameters and yield of moringa were significantly (P≥0.05) influenced by intercropping. The tallest plant (282.60cm and 324.80cm) and the highest number of branches for both seasons were produced by the sole moringa system at 10MAP. Also, the highest number of seeds (15.30 and 15.90), fresh leaf yield (18.67 and 16.05t/ha) and seed yield (1.04 and 1.08t/ha), respectively in 215 and 2016 seasons respectively were produced by sole moringa system but the highest number of seeds was produced in mo + ma + sp intercropping systems. However, the dry leaf yield was highest (3.33t/ha and 3.43t/ha) in mo + ma intercropping systems. The economic return to management, cost-benefit ratio and land equivalent ratio in the system (5.59, 2.95, 3.07, 2.78 and 4.99, 2.84, 2.10, 2.77) for 2015 and 2016 seasons indicated that intercropping had comparative advantage over sole cropping. Therefore, intercropping using better and appropriate crop combinations has proved profitable both in economic returns and land equivalent ratio to farmers in the study area and thus, farmers should adopt the moringa/cassava/maize/sweet potato intercropping system.
Description
A Doctoral thesis on intercropping systems
Keywords
Moringa, cassava, maize, sweet potato, intercropping, humid rain, forest, Department of Crop Science and Technology
Citation
Essien, B. A. (2024). Evaluation of moringa oleifera/cassava/maize/sweet potato intercropping systems in Owerri humid rain forest zone of SouthEastern Nigeria (Unpublished Doctoral Thesis), Fedearl University of Technology, Owerri, Nigeria