Growth, yield and productivity responses of okra-papaya mixture to intercropping in South West Nigeria

Abstract: Field experiments were conducted between 2006 and 2007 at the University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, South Western Nigeria, to determine the growth and yield responses of okra (Abelmoschus esculentus) grown in orchards of two papaya (Carica papaya L.) varieties, 'Homestead Selection' and 'Sunrise Solo', at three different stages of papaya growth. Different sequences of okra sowing were; at three weeks before papaya (early), same time with papaya (simultaneous) and three weeks after papaya (late). Results showed that early and simultaneous introduction of okra performed significantly better than the late, with respect to plant height, number of leaves, leaf area, number of pods, pod weight plant^-1 and total pod yield. All the okra intercrops experienced competitive effects that reflected in reduced yield more pronounced in Homestead Selection than in Sunrise Solo. The productivity efficiency index recorded intercropping advantages for the okra in mixture compared to the sole okra with a land equivalent ratio (LER) >1.0 while the area harvest equivalent ratio (AHER) was more descriptive of the trends observed among the sequences. In cv Homestead Selection, the highest profit margin (47.64 %) was recorded in the simultaneous papaya-okra intercrop, followed by early (44.57 %). A similar trend was observed in cv Sunrise Solo, where simultaneous and early okra introduction had a profit margin of40.06 and 39.72%, respectively. Late sequence had the least profit margin in both papaya cultivars. .