Effects of Maize Population Density and Row Arrangement of Pepper on the Yield of Maize

EFFECTS OF MAIZE POPULATION DENSITY AND ROW ARRANGEMENT OF PEPPER ON THE YIELD OF MAIZE AND CHILLI PEPPER IN A MAIZE – PEPPER INTERCROP

1ABDULRAHEEM M.I.; 1OMOGOYE, A. M.; 2CHARLES, E. F

1. DEPARTMENT OF AGRICULTURAL EDUCATION, THE COLLEGE OF EDUCATION, LANLATE P.M.B. 001, LANLATE, OYO STATE, NIGERIA 2. NIGERIA INSTITUTE FOR OIL PALM RESEARCH, BENIN CITY, EDO STATE, NIGERIA

(ORAL PRESENTATION)

Corresponding Author: Abdulraheem, M.I. [email protected] +2348028878835

ABSTRACT Field trial were conducted to investigate the effects of maize population density and row arrangement of pepper on the yield of maize and chilli pepper in a maize-cowpea intercrop. It was a 2 X 3 factorial experiment consisting of two rows arrangement of chilli pepper (i.e. inter and intra row) and three maize population density (26,667; 35,556 and 53,333 plants/ha); sole crops of maize and pepper were also used as control, given a total of eight treatments. The results revealed that there were no significant differences (P < 0.05) in the yield of maize grains of both intercrop and sole plants though, sole maize recorded the highest grain yield per hectare (1.9ton). Conversely, lowest population density (26,667p/ha) of maize positively favoured fruit yield of chilli peppers irrespective of the row arrangement. Keywords: Maize, Pepper, row, density, yield