Yield of scarlet eggplant (Solanum aethiopicum L.) as influenced by planting date of companion cowpea

Yield of scarlet eggplant (Solanum aethiopicum L.) as influenced by planting date of companion cowpea

2005

A:PS

The growth and fruit yield of scarlet aubergine intercropped with an erect and semi-spreading early maturing cultivars of cowpea (IT83S-818 and IT82E-32, respectively) in an additive intercropping model were studied in an experiment conducted during 2 dry seasons in Ghana. Cowpea was planted simultaneously with scarlet aubergine, 2 and 4 weeks ahead of scarlet aubergine. Land equivalent ratio (LER) of the intercrops ranged from 1.38 to 1.94, indicating that the intercrops were more productive than the pure crops. Reduction in fruit yield of the main crop, when intercropped with the semi-spreading cowpea cultivar was significantly (p<0.01) greater compared with intercropping with the erect cowpea cultivar. Simultaneous planting of cowpea and scarlet aubergine produced 90-99% the fruit yield of sole scarlet aubergine, while planting cowpea 2 and 4 weeks ahead produced 65-80% and 58-60% of sole crop yield, respectively. Competition between component crops was however most favourable for both cultivars of cowpea when planted 2 weeks ahead of scarlet aubergine. Planting cowpea 2 weeks ahead of the main crop also produced the highest LER most likely due to more efficient utilization of sunlight, water and soil nutrients. Simultaneously planting cowpea and transplanting scarlet aubergine, is recommended for such additive intercropping system, aimed at full yield of scarlet aubergine with additional cowpea for food, income or fodder.

v.105(3):305-312, SCIENTIA HORTICULTURAE

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