EFFECT OF LEAF STRIPPING, DE-TASSELLING AND TOPPING OF MAIZE ON THE YIELD OF MAIZE AND RELAY INTERCROPPED FINGER MILLET

A field experiment was conducted to study the effect of leaf stripping , de-tasselling and topping on the yield of maize and finger millet in a maize/finger millet intercropping system at Lumle in Nepal. De-tass elling of maize before pollen shedding reduced the number of barren pl ants, and increased test weight and grain yield but de-tasselling afte r pollination had no significant effect. Defoliation of maize by remov al of leaves below and above the ear, or by topping 30 days after 50% silking, had no effect on either maize grain yield or on that of the r elay planted finger millet. This contradicts the hypothesis that incre ased light penetration due to reduced shading improves the yield of mi llet under maize.