Hc. Ezumah et Jeg. Ikeorgu, POPULATION AND PLANTING PATTERN EFFECTS ON INTERCROPPED MAIZE AND COWPEA, Journal of agronomy and crop science, 170(3), 1993, pp. 187-194
Field studies on the nature of competition and the effects of various
planting patterns on maize/cowpea intercrop yields were conducted in S
outhwestern Nigeria. Relative Crowding Coefficient values indicated th
at maize dominated cowpea. The magnitude of competition between maize
and cowpea is related to season and nitrogen fertilizer. Based on grai
n yields, maize and cowpea compete for N only when it was applied but
tended to derive it from different sources in the absence of applied N
. Spatial arrangements designed to increase light reaching intercroppe
d cowpea included alternate and double rows of cowpeas between maize r
ows. These did not, however, increase grain yields of cowpeas over tho
se intercropped with maize in the same row.