Beneficial changes in environment and growth characteristics in intercropping systems with vegetables and arable crops

Abstract

Field experiments were conducted in 1985- 88 and in 1995- 97 in Nigeria to determine the effect of melon and okra on the micro-environment and crop growth in mixtures with maize, cowpea and cassava. The vegetables and arable crops were grown alone as well as in inter-crops and grown with or without nitrogen fertilizer. Growing melon between maize rows reduced maximum and diurnal range of soil temperatures by 3-4°C and 4-6°C respectively, and increased soil moisture content in the top 10 cm layer by 4-6 %. Inclusion of the vegetables with the arable crops provided durable ecological protection against weed development. Though vegetative development in okra, cowpea and cassava increased with nitrogen application, this was not accompanied by an increase in the yields of the crops in mixtures. The environment modification in the mixtures was beneficial to melon when grown between widely spaced maize rows and to okra under moderate soil fertility conditions. It is concluded that reasonable beneficial changes in growth environment and good productivity of vegetables can be achieved through inter-cropping, as well as the ^sual benefit of the companion arable crops.