491 Intercropping of Spring-planted Sugarcane with Sweetpotato and Cowpea Under Conditions of Middle Egypt

Abstract

Sugarcane, cowpea, and sweetpotato were grown in sole and intercrop systems at Experimental Station, Mallawi, Egypt (lat. 28°N) in the two spring seasons in 1996 and 1997 to determine the effects of cropping system on yield and yield components. The soil texture of the experimental site was loamy with a pH of 8.2. Results showed significant differences in yield and yield components of cane, cowpea, and sweetpotato due to intercropping treatments. Sugarcane intercropping caused signficant reduction in yield of sweetpotato and cowpea. The average yields of both sweetpotato and cowpea in the intercrop system were about 19.8 % and 29.9 %, respectively, of those of sole crop yields. Moreover, sweetpotato was more competitive than cowpea when intercropped. Furthermore, the magnitude of differences in sugarcane was low between sole and intercropped system as compared to sweet potato or cowpea. All yield attributes of cowpea and sweetpotato were better for the sole planted as compared to those for intrecrop treatments. Intercropping of one cowpea row sown at 15-cm hill spacing, between two sugarcane rows produced the maximum Land Equivalent Ratio (LER). This work suggests that the best cash return could be obtained when a single cowpea row planted at 30-cm hill spacing, is intercropped between two springplanted sugarcane rows.