Influence of different population densities of Bambara groundnut intercrop and weeding frequency on maize (<i>Zea mays</i> L.) performance

Abstract

Effective weed management is essential for enhanced productivity of maize. A two-year field experiment was carried out at the Department of Crop Science Demonstration Farm, University of Calabar, Calabar, Nigeria (4.5-5.2⁰ N, 8.0-8.3⁰ E), in the 2019 and 2020 early planting seasons, to evaluate the influence of three population densities of Bambara groundnut [166,666 plants per hectare(B1), 100,000 plants per hectare (B2), 71,428 plants per hectare (B3)] and four hand weeding frequencies [weedy check (WC), one hand weeding (1HW), two hand weedings (2HW) and a weed free check (WFC)] on the performance of maize. The experiment consisted of three replications fitted into a Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD). Data gathered on maize vegetative and yield characteristics were analysed using analysis of variance (ANOVA) procedures for RCBD (GenStat® statistical package, version 8.1). Significantly different means were compared at 5 % probability level using the Duncan’s New Multiple Range Test (DNMRT). From the results, maize growth and yield performance were significantly (P<0.05) affected by Bambara groundnut populations and the frequency of weeding. Leaving weeds unchecked all through the cultivation season hampered the vegetative and yield performance of maize, resulting in 47.54 % reduction in maize grain yield, compared with the weeded plots. Conclusively, intercropping maize with Bambara groundnut at 71,428 plants per hectare integrated with two hand weedings at 4 and 8 weeks after sowing (WAS), which optimized maize grain yield (3.87 t/ha on the two-year average) is recommended for farmers in the Calabar humid area and its environs.