Influence of Groundnut Populations on Weed Suppression in Cassava-Groundnut Systems

Abstract

<p>Cassava was grown in sole cropping and intercropping with groundnut to determine the performance of associated crops and weed control at three different groundnut populations in southern Guinea ecology of Nigeria. The experiment consisted of three planting arrangements: 1 row of cassava:3 rows of groundnut, 1 row of cassava:2 rows of groundnut, and 1 row of cassava:1 row of groundnut, sole groundnut at the three planting populations and sole cassava. The groundnut treatments suppressed weeds considerably when compared to sole cassava. This resulted from the vegetative production of groundnut which increased up to 8 weeks after planting (WAP) in 2001 and 12 WAP in 2002. More vegetative growth in 2002 led to lower groundnut yield. Intercropping significantly (p &lt; 0.05) reduced leaf area of cassava, groundnut and cassava yields. Cassava/groundnut system reduced cassava yields by 26 to 74% in 2001 and by 15 to 19% in 2002. The LER values were greater than 1.0 but cassava intercropped with groundnut population of 40,000 plants/ha has a value of 1.89, which was highest. This offers a good weed control as well as the best crop yield advantage. Therefore, groundnut population of 40,000 plants/ha was most ideal population for cassava/groundnut intercrop.</p>