Published Paper Details:

A two season field experiment was carried out at the Rubber Research Institute of Nigeria (RRIN) to evaluate the effect of matured rubber shade and rock phosphate fertilizer on the physiological growth of cocoyam and the yield of cocoyam and rubber intercropped in southern Nigeria. The trial was a factorial experiment arranged in a randomized Complete Block Design with each treatments replicated thrice. Data were generated on the physiological growth characteristics (Height, girth and number of leaves and leaf area) and the yield of cocoyam (corm) and rubber (latex). The results indicated that intercropping with matured rubber reduces the edible cormel yield of cocoyam by 27, 23, and 65% in the 0, 60 and 120 kgPha-1 treatments respectively. It also delayed the leaf shedding of cocoyam by about 9 weeks. However, the latex yield of rubber was not significantly affected by cocoyam intercropping. Land Equivalent Ratio (LER) values of 1.31, 1.60 and 1.68 were obtained from 0, 60 and 120 kg P ha-1 treatments respectively in the rubber/cocoyam intercrops indicating higher land use efficiency in intercropping cocoyam with matured rubber than planting cocoyam or rubber as sole crop. The higher land use efficiency and the possibility of securing subsistence through arable cropping while simultaneously gaining cash income through rubber latex would make cocoyam intercropping with matured rubber attractive to small holder farmers and ultimately increase the land area under rubber plantation in Nigeria.