Competitive Tolerance And Yield Response Of Maize, Cowpea And Tomato In Mixed Culture And Pure Stand

ABSTRACT This study investigated the competitive effect and yield response of maize, cowpea and tomato in mixed and pure stand. The experiment was carried out under a screenhouse to minimize extraneous factors such as pests and rodents using a randomized complete block design (RCBD). The treatments where T1 = sole maize (SM); T2 = Maize intercrop with cowpea (MC); T3 = Maize intercrop with tomato (MT); T4 = Sole tomato (ST); T5 = Tomato intercrop with Cowpea (TC); T6 = Sole cowpea (SC); T7 = Maize intercrop with cowpea and tomato (MCT). At harvest the yields parameters of maize, tomato and cowpea were taken. Some of the indices for intensity of competition were computed using standard formulas and statistical analysis was performed using statistical analytical software SAS version 9.12. The result showed that the yield of maize, cowpea and tomato were enhanced in the intercropped than the sole crops. Most of the intensity of competition indices of maize, tomato and cowpea in the mixed cultured were greater than 1, while that of the sole culture equals 1. The study concluded that competition for shared resources in the mixed culture of tomato, maize and cowpea enhanced their yield.