Agronomic assessment of some sweet potato varieties for intercropping with pigeonpea in southern guinea savanna of Nigeria

Abstract

Field experiments were conducted at the National Root Crops Research Institute sub-station, Otobi, in 2006 and 2007 to assess the suitability of improved sweet potato varieties for intercropping with pigeonpea and also to determine the planting pattern and the productivity of the intercropping system. Intercropping decreased total fresh root and saleable root yields of sweet potato when mixed or row-intercropped with pigeonpea. All intercropping combinations of sweet potato varieties and pigeonpea had land equivalent ratio above 1.0, except intercropping with WA Gabolige, signifying high intercrop advantages. TIS 87/0087 produced the highest total fresh root and saleable root yields in both cropping systems, irrespective of the planting pattern used. TIS 2532.O.P.1.13 and TIS 86/00356 sweet potato varieties had comparable yields with TIS 87/0087 in both cropping systems. Pigeonpea was the more competitive component of the intercrop. Farmers showed willingness to adopt the sweet potato + pigeonpea intercropping.

Keywords: Intercropping, sweet potato, pigeonpea, Guinea Savanna, Nigeria.