Authors : F.N. Emuh , A.E. Ofuoku and E. Oyefia
Abstract: There is a need to harness fadama lands in Niger-delta as a result of dearth of fertile arable land due to soil infertility from little or no fallow period. This study was carried out, to determine the compatibility of okra, pumpkin and maize in a fadama soil. Oba super2 variety of maize, NHae 47-4 variety of okra and locally sourced pumpkin were sown in October, 2003 and repeated in October 2004, in a randomized complete block design with 4 replicates. Maize and okra were monitored weekly for 8 and 10 weeks respectively for plant height and number of leaves while pumpkin were accessed for % vine coverage. Observation were carried for weed biomass, economic yield, aggregate yield and land equivalent ratio were calculated from the economic yield. The result of the 2 year study showed, that growth parameters did not all follow a consistend trend, although sole crops performed better than in their crop associations. The presence of pumpkin significantly reduced weeds growth in the crop associations. The economic or relative economic yield was significantly higher (p<0.05) in sole crops than in the individual crops of the association, but the aggregate yield was higher in the crop association than in their sole crops plot. The land equivalent ratio was highest in 3 crop association (1.97) than 2 crop association and least in sole crops of 1.00.
F.N. Emuh , A.E. Ofuoku and E. Oyefia , 2006. Effect of Intercropping Okra (Hibiscus esclentus) with Pumpkin (Curcubita maxima Dutch ex Lam) on Some Growth Parameters and Economic Yield of Maize (Zea mays) and Maximization of Land Use in a Fadama Soil. Research Journal of Biological Sciences, 1: 50-54.