Abstract
Field trials were conducted at the farms of the Crops Research Institute at Fumesua, Ghanam from 1989 and 1991 to assess the effect of intercropping three cassava genotypes, of different plant archetype, which cowpea, having different growth habits and maturity regimes. Height of cassava was significantly reduced as a result of intercropping. Soronko, a semi-erect, 75-day-maturing cowpea genotype, reduced height of cassava the least while Legon Prolific, a spreading 90-day-maturing genotype, reduce height the most. Intercropping with cowpea reduced dry yield and number of cassava roots significantly (P<0.05). Dry yield of Ankra, a local cassava variety, was reduced the most while an improved genotype, TMS 91934, was reduced the least in yield and number of roots. All cowpea genotypes significantly reduced the yield of cassava and the reductions caused by the different genotypes similarly. Reduction in yield and number of roots of cassava diminished as the introduction of cowpea into cassava ploys was delayed. Intercropping cassava had no effect on cowpea yield. However planting cowpea on the same date as cassava gave higher yields of cowpea than were obtained when cowpea was introduced later. Calculations of land equivalent ratios and area × time equivalency ratios using the data were compared for estimating land efficiency use under the intercropping. Also, averaging them appears to be a fair estimate of eh productivity level of intercropping cowpea and cassava.
