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Fitting Short Duration Cowpea into a Cotton-Based Cropping System in Tanzania: Effect of Planting Pattern, Time of Planting Cowpea, and Insecticide Application to the Cotton

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  03 October 2008

Fidelis A. Myaka
Affiliation:
Ilonga Agricultural Research and Training Institute, PO Box Ilonga, Kilosa, Tanzania
Joe C. B. Kabissa
Affiliation:
Ilonga Agricultural Research and Training Institute, PO Box Ilonga, Kilosa, Tanzania

Summary

An experiment to investigate the effect of planting pattern, time of planting the cowpea, and insecticide application on the yield of intercropped cotton and cowpea showed that insecticide applied to the cotton controlled cowpea pests best when the crops were planted in alternating single rows. I n wet seasons, delayed planting of the cowpea reduced its yield but its performance was better in alternating single rows than in other planting patterns. In drier seasons, cowpea yield was unaffected by time of planting and yields were similar with alternating single or double rows. Cotton yield was reduced by 47% when the planting pattern was changed to a one cotton:two cowpea row configuration.

Type
Research Article
Copyright
Copyright © Cambridge University Press 1996

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References

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