Response of Kenaf to Early and Late Cropping Seasons in Cassava-Maize Based Intercrops

Field experiments were conducted in 2013 and 2014 to study the response of kenaf to early and late cropping seasons in relay intercropping system with cassava-maize based intercrop at Ibadan Research Farm of the Institute of Agricultural Research and Training (IAR&T), Obafemi Awolowo University, Moor Plantation Ibadan. The experimental design was a randomized complete block design with 7 treatments and three replications. All data collected from the growth and yield parameters of component crops were subjected to analysis of variance to test the effects of the cropping systems separately using the MSTATC package. Intercropping depressed the weight of 1000 grains, average ear length, average weight of ear/plant and grain yield of maize in both cropping seasons. The values, 0.37 and 0.36 g, 20.3 and 20.0 cm, 193 and 187 g and 3.26 and 3.21 t/ha for the weight of 1000 grains, average ear length, average weight of ear/plant and grain yield in in both cropping seasons for sole maize were the highest. Intercropping affected the plant height at harvest, weight of tuber per plant, average weight of tuber per plant and tuber yield of cassava in both cropping seasons. The highest values, 229.5 and 225.4 cm cassava plant height at harvest observed under cassava/maize/kenaf intercrop in this study. The values, 3.30 and 3.17 kg, 747.8 and 733.5 g and 19.8 and 20.6 t/ha for the weight of tuber per plant, average weight of tuber per plant and tuber yield in 2013 and 2014 respectively for cassava/kenaf relayed with maize were not significantly different from the values, 3.70 and 3.56 kg, 728.8 and 721.8 g and 21.3 and 19.7 t/ha for the weight of tuber per plant, average weight of tuber per plant and tuber yield in both cropping seasons for cassava/maize relayed with kenaf. Plant height at harvest and basal diameter at harvest were significantly affected by cropping system in both years of the experimentation with the kenaf plants under sole cropping in both years attaining highest plant height and basal diameter, these were not significantly different from plants under cassava/kenaf relayed with maize in both cropping seasons. The least values, 228.4 and 227.6 cm recorded for plant height at harvest and 1.73 and 1.67 cm recorded for basal diameter in 2013 and 2014 respectively were obtained from cassava/maize/kenaf intercrop. Kenaf plants grown under cassava/maize relayed with kenaf gave the significantly highest seed yield values,856.7 and 879.9 kg/ha in 2013 and 2014 respectively compared to sole cropping of kenaf that gave seed yield values 707.9 and 712 kg/ha in 2013 and 2014 respectively. On average, the three crops combination systems recorded the least values for the fiber yield followed by cassava/maize relayed with kenaf. Mixture productivity (LER) indicated that the cassava/maize/kenaf intercrop recorded the highest values, 1.68 and 1.66 in in 2013 and 2014 respectively. The values were not significantly different from the values recorded for relayed intercropping systems in both years. Whenever either high yield and good quality fiber or high yield and good quality seeds is important in intercropping system that consists kenaf as one of the component crops, relay intercropping system is essential for adoption. Either cassava/kenaf relay with maize or cassava/maize relay with kenaf is recommended to the farmers in the study area.