African Journal of Biotechnology Vol. 6 (14), pp. 1650-1654, 18 July 2007   

ISSN 1684–5315 © 2007 Academic Journals        

Full Length Research Paper

Effect of intercropping varieties of sweet potato and okra in an ultisol of southeastern Nigeria

Njoku S. C.¹, C. O. Muoneke^2*, D. A. Okpara² and F. M. O. Agbo³

¹National Root Crop Research Institute Umudike, Umuahia, Abia State, Nigeria.

²Department of Agronomy, College of Crop and Soil Sciences, Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike, Umuahia, Abia State, Nigeria.

³Department of Agronomy, Faculty of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Abia State University Uturu, Abia State, Nigeria.

*Corresponding author. E-mail: cosmuoneke@yahoo.com.

Accepted 22 June, 2007

A field experiment was conducted at the research farm of the National Root Crops Research Institute (NRCRI), Umudike in 2000 and 2001 cropping seasons to access the productivity of three sweet potato cultivars intercropped with three okra cultivars. Intercropping generally increased okra plant height while intercropping with TIS 2532 OP.1.13 sweet potato significantly increased the number of pods per plant of okra than intercropping with other sweet potato cultivars. Tuber yield in sweet potato was higher in TIS 87/0087 than other cultivars. Both pod and tuber yields were not affected by intercropping.  Land equivalent ratio was higher with intercropping TAE 38 okra and TIS 87/0087 sweet potato.

Key words: Sweet potato, okra, intercropping, Nigeria.