Growth and yield of groundnut (Arachis hypogaea) and sorghum (Sorghum bicolor) as influenced by cropping pattern

Abstract

Experiments on the effects of cropping pattern on the growth and yield of groundnut/sorghum inter-crop were carried out during 1998 rainy season at the Dry Land Teaching and Research Farm, Usmanu Danfodiyo University Sokoto, in Sudan savannah zone of Nigeria. The experiment consisted of improved groundnut (RRB) and sorghum (ICSV400) crops in four different combinations viz: 1:1, 2:1, 3:1 and 4:1. The treatments were laid out in a randomized complete block design (RCBD) with three replications. Results from the experiment revealed the effects of combinations on growth of the groundnut to be inconsistent. Highest dry pod and kernel yields of 713Kg ha^-1 and 483Kg ha^-1 were obtained when groundnut was intercropped with sorghum in 4:1 and 1:1 cropping patterns, respectively. Highest land equivalent ratios (LER) of 3.77 and 2.29 were obtained from groundnut/sorghum mixture in 3:1 and 2:1 ratios, respectively. Generally, mixtures produced higher yields than sole cropping.