Productivity of Maize Varieties intercropped with Cassava in Lafia and Makurdi Locations, Southern Guinea Savanna, Nigeria

Two experiments were conducted from 2015 to 2016 at the Teaching and Research Farm of the Federal University of Agriculture, Makurdi [Latitude 07º 45' - 07º 50' N, Longtitude 08º 45'- 08º 50' E, elevation 98 m] in Benue State and the Research and Teaching Farm of the College of Agriculture, Lafia (Latitude 08.33N and Longitude 08.32E) in Nasarawa State, all located in Southern Guinea Savannah of Nigeria. The experiments sought to determine the performance of maize varieties when intercropped with cassava.The experiment was laid out as split-plot in randomized complete block design (RCBD) with three replications. The main plot treatment comprised of two cropping systems [sole cropping (maize, cassava) and row intercropping (maize + cassava)] while the sub-plot treatment was 3 maize varieties [Quality Protein Maize (QPM), Suwan 1-1 and the Local]. Each sub plot consisted of 5 ridges spaced 1m apart and 4m long and the net plot was the three middle ridges, 3m long. Intercropping severely depressed plant height at harvest, leaf area index at harvest, cob circumference, cob length, number of rows per cob, number of seeds per row, cob weight, grain yield and 100-ssed weight in Lafi and Makurdi. The highest grain yield of maize was produced when QPM was planted as a sole crop in Lafia (2.95t/ha) and Makurdi (2.99t/ha). However, values obtained from LEC and LER showed intercrop advantage. Similarly, intercropping decreased the growth and yield (plant height at harvest, root circumference, root length, number of marketable roots per plant, number of unmarketable roots per plant and root weight) of cassava in both locations. Intercropping cassava with Local maize produced the highest root weight in Lafia (8.50t/ha) and Makurdi (9.02t/ha) among the treatments intercropped. All LER and LEC values were above 1.0 and 0.25 respectively in both locations. Values obtained for competitive ratio showed that maize was mnore competitive than cassava probably due to its height advantage.