VARIETAL RESPONSE OF CASSAVA TO TIME OF PLANTING IN PLANTAIN/CASSAVA INTERCROP IN AKURE SOUTH WESTERN NIGERIA

Abstract

A field experiment was carried out at the Teaching and Research Farms of The Federal University of Technology Akure to evaluate the response of cassava varieties to time of planting in plantain/cassava intercrop. The experiment was carried out using Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD). The objectives of the experiment were to determine the appropriate time to introduce cassava varieties into plantain/cassava intercrop and to identify the more compatible cassava variety for intercrop with plantain. The experiment involved the use of two varieties of cassava (TME 419 non branching and TMS 98/0581 moderately branched) planted at a standard spacing of 1m x 1m into the alleys of false horn plantain variety space 3 m x 2 m. The experiment consisted of seven treatments; sole plantain as control, sole cassava (TME 419) poorly branched variety, sole cassava (TMS 0581) branched variety, plantains + TME 419 at the same time, plantains + TMS 98/0581 at the same time, plantain + TME 419 at 4 weeks after planting, plantain + TMS 98/0581 at 4 weeks after planting where each plot size was 9 m x 6 m. The plantains and the two cassava varieties were planted sole as the control treatments. The intercropping of the cassava with plantain was done at different times which were; at the same time with plantain, and at four (4) weeks after planting plantain. Data on growth parameters such as; plant height, pseudo-stem girth, number of leaves were taken for plantains, while plant height, stem girth, number of leaves, number of branches, height at branching were taken for cassava at 4, 8, 12, 16, 20 and 24 weeks after planting (WAP). Yield parameters such as; bunch weight, number of fingers, number of hands, length of fingers, girth of fingers, weight of hands, weight of fingers were taken for plantains while number of tubers, weight of tubers, girth of tubers, length of tubers, fresh root yield, shoot biomass, were taken for cassava at harvest. The data collected were