PLANT HEIGHT OF FORAGE SORGHUM AND LABLAB AS AFFECTED BY PLANTING PATTERNS AND DAYS OF INTERCROPPING IN SHIKA, NIGERIA

Abstract

The choice of planting patterns and days of intercropping was believed to be a relevant agronomic management option to minimize intercrop competition effects on the main crop. A field experiment was conducted during 2017 and 2018 rainy seasons at the breeder seed experimental site of Feeds and Nutrition Research Programme, National Animal Production Research Institute, Ahmadu Bello University, Shika, Zaria. To determine the yield and competition indices of forage sorghum and lablab as affected by planting patterns and days of intercropping. The experiment was laid out in a 5 x 4 factors in Randomized Complete Block Design replicated three times. The factors employed were five planting patterns of forage sorghum and lablab rows (4:0, 3:1, 2:2, 1:3 and 0:4) and four days of intercropping lablab (same day, 7 days, 14 days and 21 days) after emergence of forage sorghum Planting patterns and days of intercropping significantly (P<0.05) affected the plant height of both crops. In both years, 2017 and 2018 pooled, revealed a non-significantly (P>0.05) higher plant heights of forage sorghum in 4:0, 3:1 and 2:2 rows but lowest in 1:3 rows. Intercropping the same day favors plant height of lablab (54.71cm) but when delayed it favors plant height of forage sorghum (251.17cm). In conclusion therefore, for a sustainable forage production and profitability of forage sorghumlablab intercrop combinations, a planting pattern of three rows forage sorghum to one row lablab (3:1) and intercrop lablab the same day should be adopted