Intercrop performance of different varieties of soybean (Glycine Max. (L) Merril) in a cassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz) based cropping system within the derived savannah zone

Abstract

Field experiments to investigate intercrop performance of different varieties of soybean (Glycine Max. (L.) Merril) in a cassava (Manihot esculenta Crantz) based cropping system within the derived savannah
zone were conducted at Nsukka Utisol in Southeast Nigeria ecological. Two varieties of cassava and six varieties of soybean of three different maturity groups were grown as sole and intercrop with four rates of N and K fertilizer, laid out in split plot design in RCBD. Fertilizer rate was the main plot treatment while cassava and soybean, sole and intercrop systems were the sub-plots, replicated three times. Effects of fertilizer rate and soybean residue management on growth and yield of the crops were studied. Soybean residue and grain yield were differentiated by their varieties and were significantly affected by fertilizer rates and cropping system rather than by cassava varieties as there was no significant cassava varietal effect on the cropping systems and no apparent shedding effect. Application of N₀K₅₀ fertilizer rate gave the highest soybean dry matter accumulation, highest grain yield and highest fresh cassava tuber yield at 12MAP. Intercropping cassava (NR 8230) with soybean (TGX 1894-3E, medium maturing variety), gave the highest grain yield of Soybean and fresh tuber yield of cassava at 12MAP,

Keywords: Cassava, soybean, intercrop