Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-t8hqh Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-29T16:36:29.497Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

The Effects on Soil Temperature and Moisture Content and Crop Growth and Yield of Intercropping Maize with Melon (Colocynthis vulgaris)

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  03 October 2008

F. O. Olasantan
F. O. Olasantan
Affiliation:
Agronomy Department, School of Agricultural Education, College of Education, Ila-Orangun, Nigeria
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Summary

The effects of various intercropping patterns of maize and melon on soil temperature and moisture content and crop growth and yield were compared in field trials over a two year period. Intercropping raised soil temperature in the upper 10 cm at 0600 h and reduced it at 1000, 1400 and 1800 h, and also increased soil moisture content by about 30%, compared with maize sole cropping. Melon biomass and seed yields were reduced by intercropping but maize growth characters were unaffected. However, the reduction in melon yields was less when grown with maize in widely spaced rows. Maize intercropped with melon in alternate pairs of rows (2:2) gave the best land equivalent ratio (LER).

Type
Research Article
Information
Experimental Agriculture , Volume 24 , Issue 1 , January 1988 , pp. 67 - 74
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1988

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

REFERENCES

Akobundu, O. T. (1981). Weed control in intercropping mixutres. In Agronomy Training Manual for Agroservice Agronomists, 223–227 (Ed. Pandeys, ).Google Scholar
Elliot, W. M. & Miller, J. H. (1974). Light-controlled stem elongation in pea seedlings grown under varied light conditions. Plant Physiology 53:279–283.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Lal, R. (1975). Role of Mulching Techniques in Tropical Soil and Water Management. Technical Bulletin 1. Ibadan: International Institute for Tropical Agriculture (IITA).Google Scholar
Mohta, N. K. & De, R. (1980). Intercropping maize and sorghum with soya beans. Journal of Agricultural Science, Cambridge 95:117–122.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Olasantan, F. O. (1985). Effects of intercropping, mulching and staking on growth and yield of tomatoes. Experimental Agriculture 21:135–144.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Saxena, M. C. & Singh, Y. (1965). A note on leaf area estimation of intact maize leaves. Indian Journal of Agronomy 10:437–439.Google Scholar
Tripathi, R. P. & Katiyar, T. P. S. (1984). Effect of mulches on the thermal regime of soil. Soil and Tillage Research 4:381–390.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Wahua, T. A. T. (1985). Effects of melon (Colocynthis vulgaris) population density on intercropped maize (Zea mays) and melon. Experimental Agriculture 21:281–289.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Wahua, T. A. T., Babalola, O. & Aken'ova, M. E. (1981). Intercropping morphologically different types of maize with cowpeas. I LER and growth parameters of associated cowpeas. Experimental Agriculture 17:407–413.CrossRefGoogle Scholar