EFFECT OF PLANTING SEQUENCE ON THE PERFORMANCE OF OKRA (Abelmuoscus esculentus L. Moench) AND TOMATO (Solanum lycorpersicum) MIXTURE

Abstract

Field experiment was conducted at the Teaching and Research Farm of the Federal University of Technology Minna, Gidan Kwanu Campus. The experiment was to determine the effect planting sequence on the performance of okro and Tomato mixture. The treatment consisted sole okro and Tomato, transplanting tomato seedlings two weeks before tomato seedlings were transplanted, sowing of okro seeds and transplanting of tomato at the same time, okro (Clemson spineless) and tomato(Roman VF) were used as treatments. Data collected include plant height, number of leaves, number of branches, leaf area, days to 50% flowering, number of fruits, fresh fruit weight, fruit length, fruit girth and fruit yield. The result showed that highest plant height was observed where okro was intercropped with tomato while the least plant height was recorded where okro was planted as sole crop. The fresh fruit weight, fruit length and fruit yield of tomato was significantly higher for sole tomato compared to intercropped sequence. However, yield from inter cropped okro was statistically affected, even though sole okro had a relatively higher fruit yield. Inter cropping okro two weeks after sowing tomato/okro and two weeks after sowing okro/tomato gave land equivalent ratio (LER) values of 1.53 and 1.55 respectively. This result showed that higher productivity per unit area could be achieved by growing them as sole