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Effect Of Npk Fertilizer On The Growth And Yield Components Of Yam (dioscorea Spp), And Egusi-melon (coloncynthis Citrillus) Intercrop
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1.1YAM (Dioscorea spp)
Yam is an annual
or perennial climbing plant with underground tubers. Nigeria is by far
the world largest producer of yams, accounting for over 70-75 % of the
world production (FAO, 2004). More than 95 % of the world’s yams are
currently grown in sub – Sahara Africa, with the reminder grown in the
West Indies and parts of Asia and South and Central America.
Yam, a
tropical crop in the genus Dioscorea has as many as 600 species out of
which 6 are economically important staple species. These are: Dioscorea
rotundata (white yam), Dioscorea cayensis (yellow yam), Dioscorea alata
(water yam), Dioscorea bubifera (aerial yam), Dioscorea dumetorum
(trifoliate yam), and Dioscorea esculanta (Chinese yam).out of these, D.
rotundata, D. cayensis and D. alata are the most common species in
Nigeria (Onwueme, 1978). Yam is in the class of roots and tuber, it is a
staple of the Nigerian and West African diet, which provide some 200
calories of energy per capital daily. Yam have a cultural and
traditional significance among many communities in Nigeria, this is
exemplified by the occurrence of rituals to mark their harvest
Mono
cropping is increasing in certain area of West Africa and Caribbean.
However, in producing area of Nigeria, mixed cropping with yam and egusi
melon with maize or yam with egusi melon is prevalent (Kurt, 1984).
1.2EGUSI-MELON (Colocynthis citrillus)
Egusi-melon
is a vegetable crop commonly cultivated in West Africa (Vander-Vossen,
et’al 2004). Because of its creeping nature and ability to use its
leaves to provide cover on the soil, farmers use it as weed suppressant
in mixed cropping (Achigan-Dako, 2008). Production of the crop is more
popular in the northern parts of Nigeria where there is abundance of
cultivable land which has made the practice of sole and mixed cropping
possible. This is unlike the eastern part of Nigeria, where the sandy
area of where scarcity of farm land has force majority of the farmers to
raise the crop in mixed crop farms. Despite the socio-ecological
important of egusi-melon, production output has been on the decline
(Ugwumba, 2010).
Egusi-melon is grown for its seed, which is used in
preparing assorted foods, especially soup and stew. The seed is rich in
oil and protein and contains good quantities of most of the essential
amino acids.
In traditional system of farming, egusi-melon is
usually planted as lich much and smothering crops in midst of other
crops. The benefit of intercropping yam with egusi-melon could possibly
be harnessed by adjusting the planting sequence of yam minisetts
(Ikeorgu, 1991).
The importance of egusi-melon in conserving soil
moisture and reducing optimal soil temperature early in the growing
season, earlier reported by Ikeorgu (1991), suggest the crops
suitability for intercropping with yam.
1.3OBJECTIVE OF THE STUDY
The objectives were to determine:
the
effect of NPK fertilizer on the growth and yield of yam and egusi melon
in sole and in intercrop yield advantage, if any due to intercropping
0f both crops.
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ABSRACT - [ Total Page(s): 1 ]The experiment was conducted at the Faculty of Agriculture, University of Benin, Ugbowo Campus Benin City Nigeria. The experiment was conducted under rain fed condition during the early cropping season (March to November) of the year 2013.The experimental design was the Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with yam and egusi-melon as the test crops. The trial consisted of 4 levels of NPK 20:10:10 fertilizer (0, 200, 400, 600kg/ha) with 3 cropping systems and replicated 3 times.It was observed ... Continue reading---
