Evaluation of Five Improved Maize Varieties for Intercropping with Sweet Potato in Makurdi, Southern Guinea Savanna Ecology of Nigeria

A field experiment was carried out during the cropping seasons of 2014 and 2015 at the Teaching and Research Farm of the University of Agriculture, Makurdi, Benue State, Nigeria. The experiment sought to determine the influence of intercropping maize and sweet potato on the yield and yield components of five newly introduced maize varieties to improving the productivity of maize/sweet potato intercropping in Makurdi. The experiment was a 2 x 5 factorial laid out in Randomized Complete Block Design with three replications. The treatments consisted of two cropping systems (sole cropping (maize, sweet potato) and intercropping (maize + sweet potato)] and 5 improved maize varieties (Pool-18R/AK94DMRESR-Y, Pool 18SR/AK933/ DMRESR, OBATANPA, and POP.66SR/ACR.91 SUWAH 1-SR, OBATANPA/T2LCOMP.1SYN-W-1). A result obtained from the experiment showed that intercropping led to growth and yield decline, the extent of which depended on the maize variety used in combination with sweet potato. Maize variety pool 18R/AK94 DMR ESR- Y was least depressed while Obantakpa was most. There was higher total output per unit area in intercropping compared to sole LER of all maize varieties intercropped with sweet potato were higher than unity, a development which showed intercrop advantage over the sole. Intercropping maize variety 18R/AK94 DMR ESR- Y with sweet potato was most productive and therefore recommended for Makurdi location of Southern Guinea Savannah of Nigeria.