Abstract

A field experiment was conducted under rain-fed conditions on the research farm of Savanna Agricultural Research Institute, Nyankpala, during the 2007 and 2008 seasons. The objective was to study the response of three new groundnut varieties (Jenkaar, Kpanieli and Nkosuor) to row intercropping with maize. The experiment was laid in randomized complete block design with four replicates. Treatments comprised sole groundnut, sole maize, single row groundnut alternated with single row maize (G1M1), single row groundnut alternated with double row maize (G1M2), double row groundnut alternated with single row maize (G2M1) and double row groundnut alternated with double row maize (G2M2). The population densities of groundnut and maize in the intercrops affected their yield performance. Row intercropping arrangement that encouraged large leaf area in groundnut supported the formation of more pods per plant and subsequently larger dry pod yield. The highest groundnut and maize yields in the intercrop in both years were obtained respectively from G2M1 and G1M2. The G1M1 and G1M2 row intercropping arrangement was therefore the most advantageous in both years, achieving a land equivalent ratio values greater than 1. Combinations of the Kpanieli variety and maize which achieved land equivalent ratio greater than 1 was also more advantageous than intercropping maize with the Jenkaar and Nkosuor varieties in both years.

Key words: Guinea savanna, rain-fed, row intercropping, yield performance, land equivalent ratio.