Egusi melon-okra intercrop: yield effects as influenced by the interaction of time of introducing okra x cropping systems at Makurdi, Nigeria

A field experiment was conducted from August to November, during the 2012 and 2013 cropping seasons at the Research Farm, University of Agriculture, Makurdi, Nigeria, to evaluate the yield effects of egusi melon-okra intercrop as influenced by the interaction of time of introducing okra x cropping systems, and to assess the yield advantages of the intercropping system. The experiment was a 3x3 split plot arrangement of treatments, fitted in a randomized complete block design (RCBD), replicated four times. The cropping systems (sole egusi melon, sole okra and egusi melon-okra mixture) constituted the main plots, while the time of introducing okra (mid August, late August and early September) into egusi melon were allocated to the subplots. Results of study showed that to obtain optimal intercrop yield of okra in an egusi melon-okra intercrop, it is appropriate planting okra at the same time with egusi melon in mid August, while introducing okra into egusi melon in late August is appropriate to obtain optimal intercrop yield of egusi melon. Intercropping egusi melon and okra significantly (P≤0.05) reduced yields of egusi melon (37.5 % and 40.5 % respectively, in years 2012 and 2013) and that of okra (9.7 % and 16.9 % respectively, in years 2012 and 2013). The highest mean land equivalent ratio value of 1.57 and highest land equivalent coefficient values of 0.53 and 0.70 were respectively recorded, in years 2012 and 2013, for okra introduced into egusi melon in early September. These recommendations are appropriate for Makurdi location, Nigeria.