Author: M. O. Adedire
J. Trop. For Resources Vol. 14.1 (1998) pp. 9-18
Abstract
The experiment was carried out under rain-fed conditions for two consecutive cropping seasons at Igbogila (07°N and 2°9’E), Yewa North Local Government Area of Ogun State, Nigeria to study the effects of Leucaena hedgerow with and without fertilizer on the yield of maize (Zea mays) TZSR- Y variety.
The plots, which had earlier been cropped to maize/cassava for 1.5 years and left to fallow for another 1.5 years, was planted to maize at 0.9m x 0.3m in 2m wide alleys of Leucaena teucocephata (Lam.) de Wit K28 established in 1988. The experimental design was a randomized block with four treatments and three replications. The treatments were: alley cropping with leucaena hedgerows, with or without fertilizer application and the control (on hedgerows) with or without fertilizer application. The experimental plots were 5m x 5m (25m 2), and the fertilized ones received 30N – 13P – 24K kg/ha in two doses three and six weeks after planting (WAP). The teucaena hedgerows were primed twice (0 0.75m during each cropping season; and the pruning were evenly spread’ on the alley plots as much. Maize yield was determined at 12% M.C. Grain yield was vel)’ low under the control without fertilizer application (0.38t/ha and 0.22t/ha) for the two cropping seasons respectively, while grain yield in the alley averaged 1.25t/ha. The general performance on the crop during the two cropping seasons was in the order of (Alley cropped with fertilizer application, C + f) > (Alley cropped without fertilizer application, A – f) > (Control without fertilizer application, C – F.
Key words: Maize Yield; Lellcaella Primings, NPK .Fertilizer, Alley IraI’m