EFFECT OF SEED DOSAGE AND TIME OF SEASONAL CULTURE INTERCROPPING ON GUINEA GRASS (PANICUM-MAXIMUM) ESTABLISHMENT .3. ZEA-MAYS (MAIZE)

An experiment was carried out in a red ferrallitic soil and a factoria l arrangement in a random block design with 4 replications was used. T he treatments were combinations of 4 dosages f maize seeds (0, 10, 20 and 30 kg/ha) and three periods of time of seasonal seed intercropping (0, 10 and 20 days) after sowing guinea grass. The greatest number of maize plants (P < 0.01) corresponded to the greatest dosage (7.3 plan ts/m), while no differences were found with guinea grass (6.3 plants/m ). Pasture height in the first cut was lower when intercropped (P < 0. 05) and augmented when intercropping was differed (P < 0.001). Guinea grass yield in the first cut was lower when maize was simultaneously i ntercropped with pasture or 10 days later (P < 0.01). In the second cu t guinea grass yield tended to be higher when intercropped. Maize yiel d was higher when 20 kg/ha were simultaneously used with pasture sowin g (5.97 t DM/ha). The best total yield (13 t/ha) was obtained when 10 or 30 kg/ha were intercropped 10 days after sowing which did not diffe r between treatments. Guinea grass percentage at the end of the experi ment did not differ and was higher than 90%. The utilization of 20 kg/ ha of maize seed intercropped at sowing guinea grass is suggested.