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Growth and Yield Response of Improved Sweet Potato Cultivars to Intercropping with Hybrid Maize and Inorganic Fertilizers

Received: 28 September 2021     Accepted: 18 October 2021     Published: 17 November 2021
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Abstract

A field study was conducted in 2018 to determine the growth and yield response of improved sweet potato cultivars to intercropping with hybrid maize and inorganic fertilizer application using a randomized complete block design in a split-plot arrangement and three replications. Maize was intercropped with NASPOT 1, NASPOT 8 and NASPOT 11 potato cultivars. Sole crops and the potato/maize intercrops were fertilized with graded levels of N, P and K comprising a control without fertilizer, 40-20-30, 80-40-60, 120-60-90 and 160-80-120 kg/ha of N-P-K. Vine lengths, and numbers of vine branches and leaves of potato plants under intercropping were higher (P < .05) than those of plants under sole cropping system. In both systems, NPK fertilizer application didn’t (P >.05) affect the vine lengths and numbers of vine branches compared to the control. But numbers of vine branches of plants under sole cropping for all the fertilizer treatments were higher (P < .0001) than those of plants under intercropping system. Generally, NPK application in the sole potato cropping significantly (P =.02) affected the leaf numbers, and the fertilized potato plants had greater (P < .05) leaf numbers than the control. In both systems, NASPOT 11 produced the highest tuber yield, followed by NASPOT 8. Tuber yields were better (P < .01) under sole cropping (43.36 MT/ha) than under intercropping (33.35 MT/ha). Maize grain yields were also better (P < .0001) under sole cropping than under intercropping. But grain yields from all the fertilized intercrops were greater (P < .05) than those of their corresponding control treatments. In all the intercrops, the land equivalent ratios (LERs) were greater than unity indicating yield advantage of intercropping over sole cropping. It was concluded that applying 120-60-90 kg/ha of N-P-K into the potato/maize intercrops results in better tuber yields compared to the unfertilized control. Also, N-P-K application in quantities greater than 40-20-30 kg/ha does not lead to significant differences in tuber yields between the potato/maize intercropping and sole potato cropping systems indicating that inter-specific competition for nutrients in the intercrops is eliminated by the fertilizer. In addition, the application of 80-120 kg N/ha, 40-60 kg P/ha and 60-90 kg K/ha in the intercrops results in better intercrop performance as revealed by higher LERs indicating that improved potato cultivars and hybrid maize are compatible for intercropping. Therefore, farmers can intercrop improved sweet potato cultivars with hybrid maize and apply 120-60-90 kg/ha of N, P and K in the intercrops to maximize yields.

Published in Journal of Plant Sciences (Volume 9, Issue 6)
DOI 10.11648/j.jps.20210906.13
Page(s) 289-298
Creative Commons

This is an Open Access article, distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/), which permits unrestricted use, distribution and reproduction in any medium or format, provided the original work is properly cited.

Copyright

Copyright © The Author(s), 2021. Published by Science Publishing Group

Keywords

Hybrid Maize, Inorganic Fertilizer, Intercropping, Potato Tuber Yield, Sweet Potato Cultivars, Vine Branches, Vine Lengths

References
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    Sylvester Katuromunda. (2021). Growth and Yield Response of Improved Sweet Potato Cultivars to Intercropping with Hybrid Maize and Inorganic Fertilizers. Journal of Plant Sciences, 9(6), 289-298. https://doi.org/10.11648/j.jps.20210906.13

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    Sylvester Katuromunda. Growth and Yield Response of Improved Sweet Potato Cultivars to Intercropping with Hybrid Maize and Inorganic Fertilizers. J. Plant Sci. 2021, 9(6), 289-298. doi: 10.11648/j.jps.20210906.13

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    AMA Style

    Sylvester Katuromunda. Growth and Yield Response of Improved Sweet Potato Cultivars to Intercropping with Hybrid Maize and Inorganic Fertilizers. J Plant Sci. 2021;9(6):289-298. doi: 10.11648/j.jps.20210906.13

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  • @article{10.11648/j.jps.20210906.13,
      author = {Sylvester Katuromunda},
      title = {Growth and Yield Response of Improved Sweet Potato Cultivars to Intercropping with Hybrid Maize and Inorganic Fertilizers},
      journal = {Journal of Plant Sciences},
      volume = {9},
      number = {6},
      pages = {289-298},
      doi = {10.11648/j.jps.20210906.13},
      url = {https://doi.org/10.11648/j.jps.20210906.13},
      eprint = {https://article.sciencepublishinggroup.com/pdf/10.11648.j.jps.20210906.13},
      abstract = {A field study was conducted in 2018 to determine the growth and yield response of improved sweet potato cultivars to intercropping with hybrid maize and inorganic fertilizer application using a randomized complete block design in a split-plot arrangement and three replications. Maize was intercropped with NASPOT 1, NASPOT 8 and NASPOT 11 potato cultivars. Sole crops and the potato/maize intercrops were fertilized with graded levels of N, P and K comprising a control without fertilizer, 40-20-30, 80-40-60, 120-60-90 and 160-80-120 kg/ha of N-P-K. Vine lengths, and numbers of vine branches and leaves of potato plants under intercropping were higher (P P >.05) affect the vine lengths and numbers of vine branches compared to the control. But numbers of vine branches of plants under sole cropping for all the fertilizer treatments were higher (P P =.02) affected the leaf numbers, and the fertilized potato plants had greater (P P P P < .05) than those of their corresponding control treatments. In all the intercrops, the land equivalent ratios (LERs) were greater than unity indicating yield advantage of intercropping over sole cropping. It was concluded that applying 120-60-90 kg/ha of N-P-K into the potato/maize intercrops results in better tuber yields compared to the unfertilized control. Also, N-P-K application in quantities greater than 40-20-30 kg/ha does not lead to significant differences in tuber yields between the potato/maize intercropping and sole potato cropping systems indicating that inter-specific competition for nutrients in the intercrops is eliminated by the fertilizer. In addition, the application of 80-120 kg N/ha, 40-60 kg P/ha and 60-90 kg K/ha in the intercrops results in better intercrop performance as revealed by higher LERs indicating that improved potato cultivars and hybrid maize are compatible for intercropping. Therefore, farmers can intercrop improved sweet potato cultivars with hybrid maize and apply 120-60-90 kg/ha of N, P and K in the intercrops to maximize yields.},
     year = {2021}
    }
    

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  • TY  - JOUR
    T1  - Growth and Yield Response of Improved Sweet Potato Cultivars to Intercropping with Hybrid Maize and Inorganic Fertilizers
    AU  - Sylvester Katuromunda
    Y1  - 2021/11/17
    PY  - 2021
    N1  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.jps.20210906.13
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    T2  - Journal of Plant Sciences
    JF  - Journal of Plant Sciences
    JO  - Journal of Plant Sciences
    SP  - 289
    EP  - 298
    PB  - Science Publishing Group
    SN  - 2331-0731
    UR  - https://doi.org/10.11648/j.jps.20210906.13
    AB  - A field study was conducted in 2018 to determine the growth and yield response of improved sweet potato cultivars to intercropping with hybrid maize and inorganic fertilizer application using a randomized complete block design in a split-plot arrangement and three replications. Maize was intercropped with NASPOT 1, NASPOT 8 and NASPOT 11 potato cultivars. Sole crops and the potato/maize intercrops were fertilized with graded levels of N, P and K comprising a control without fertilizer, 40-20-30, 80-40-60, 120-60-90 and 160-80-120 kg/ha of N-P-K. Vine lengths, and numbers of vine branches and leaves of potato plants under intercropping were higher (P P >.05) affect the vine lengths and numbers of vine branches compared to the control. But numbers of vine branches of plants under sole cropping for all the fertilizer treatments were higher (P P =.02) affected the leaf numbers, and the fertilized potato plants had greater (P P P P < .05) than those of their corresponding control treatments. In all the intercrops, the land equivalent ratios (LERs) were greater than unity indicating yield advantage of intercropping over sole cropping. It was concluded that applying 120-60-90 kg/ha of N-P-K into the potato/maize intercrops results in better tuber yields compared to the unfertilized control. Also, N-P-K application in quantities greater than 40-20-30 kg/ha does not lead to significant differences in tuber yields between the potato/maize intercropping and sole potato cropping systems indicating that inter-specific competition for nutrients in the intercrops is eliminated by the fertilizer. In addition, the application of 80-120 kg N/ha, 40-60 kg P/ha and 60-90 kg K/ha in the intercrops results in better intercrop performance as revealed by higher LERs indicating that improved potato cultivars and hybrid maize are compatible for intercropping. Therefore, farmers can intercrop improved sweet potato cultivars with hybrid maize and apply 120-60-90 kg/ha of N, P and K in the intercrops to maximize yields.
    VL  - 9
    IS  - 6
    ER  - 

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Author Information
  • Department of Agricultural Production, College of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences, Makerere University, Kampala, Uganda

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