Effective intercropping systems for young cocoa.

摘要

The effects of intercropping young cocoa with some popular arable crops were studied in Nigeria. The systems evaluated were cocoa/yam/maize/cowpea, cocoa/cassava/maize/melon and cocoa/cocoyam [Colocasia esculenta]/okra/melon. Growth performance in terms of height, girth, leaf numbers and leaf area of cocoa in the various mixtures was either superior or comparable with that of cocoa in monoculture. The relative yield of most of the arable crops was >50%, giving a relative yield total of over 100% and land equivalent ratio of >1, indicating high yield advantages and efficient land use. Weeds were more suppressed in intercropped plots than in pure stands of cocoa. Cocoa/cocoyam/okra/melon was the best of the 3 systems.