EFFECT OF SPATIAL ARRANGEMENT, PLANT ARCHITECTURE AND CROPPING SYSTEM ON THE GROWTH, YIELD AND YIELD

Field trials were conducted in three agro-ecological zones of the country during the 2015/2016 and 2016/2017 cropping seasons to analyse cassava growth and yield metrics as a response to spatial arrangement, plant design, and cropping techniques. Seven cropping associations (sole cassava, sole groundnut, sole cowpea, sole soybean, cassava + cowpea, cassava + groundnut, and cassava + soybean), two cassava architectures (branched and erect), and two spatial configurations were used in the experiments (1 m x 1 m and 2 m x 0.5 m). The experiment was set up in a three-replication randomised full block design.

In terms of plant height, stem girth, and canopy breadth, the data suggest that spatial organisation, pant architecture, and cropping strategies were all highly influential. The greatest values were obtained by the upright cassava variety intercropped with soybean at a spatial orientation of 1 m × 1 m during the observation period. In terms of spatial arrangement, plant design, and cropping techniques, the results demonstrate considerable changes in the quantity of marketable roots, stem yield, storage root yield, and total biomass. Among the yield metrics evaluated, the cassava-soybean system planted at 1mx1m spatial orientation had the greatest values. Intercropping upright cassava varieties with soybean at a spatial orientation of 1 m × 1 m could thus boost cassava growth and yield components.

Please see the link :- https://www.ikprress.org/index.php/JOGAE/article/view/4997