Presentation during African Cassava Agronomy Initiative (ACAI) Second Annual Review Meeting and Planning Workshop on 11 – 15 Dec. 2017 at Gold Crest Hotel, Mwanza, Tanzania. Presented by Charles Chigemezu.

1. www.iita.org I www.cgiar.org
Improved cassava-maize intercropping systems for
sustainable cassava and maize production in
Nigeria
African Cassava Agronomy Initiative (ACAI)
Second Annual Review Meeting
and Planning Workshop
11 – 15 Dec. 2017
Gold Crest Hotel, Mwanza, Tanzania
Charles Chigemezu

2. Improved cassava-maize intercropping systems for
sustainable cassava and maize production in Nigeria
Charles Chigemezu
Institute of Agricultural Sciences, Sustainable Agroecosystem Group, ETH Zurich

3. Why intercropping?
• A common practice (in Nigeria) is to intercrop both crops…
 food security,
 resource maximization,
due to land fragmentations and other factors..
• However, yields from both crops are poor in the (intercropping) system…
• Due to poor – bad agronomic (management) practices among other things.
• Hence, the need to improve the agronomic potentials of the system in Nigeria.

4. Research Questions. ?
 Will the application of mineral fert. (N:P:K 90:20:40, 75:20:90)
enhance emergence, growth, development, and yields of cassava
and maize in the system?
 Will mineral fertilization and increased maize density in the
system increase incident solar radiation capture, soil moisture
retention and reduce soil temperature?
Will the application of N:P:K (90:20:40 vs 75:20:90) improve
cassava root qualities ?

5. Experimental design
Methodology..
4 replicated (RCBD) and 100 non replicated on-farm research trials in Nigeria
Anambra
state.
Cross River
state
Benue state
Orumba north LGA
 10 NRTs, 1 RT
Orumba south LGA
 10 NRTs
Dunukofia LGA
 10 MLTs, 1 RT
Forest transition savannah, Anambra state
Cross River state, Nig.Ikom LGA
 15 NRTs, 1 RT
Yala LGA
 15 NRTs
Rain-forest, Cross River
state
Guinea savanna, Benue state
Gwer east LGA
 10 NRTs
Otukpo LGA
 10 NRTs, 1 RT
Buruku and Kwande LGAs
 10 NRTs each

6. Combination of levels of studied factors
Cassava + Maize (40k plants/ha) NoF = D
Cassava + Maize (20k plants/ha) NoF = LM
Cassava + Maize (40k plants/ha) + 90:20:40 (N:P:K) = F1
Cassava + Maize (20k plants/ha) + 90:20:40 (N:P:K) = LMF
Cassava + Maize (40k plants/ha) + 75:20:90 (N:P:K) = CF2
Cassava + Maize (20K plants/ha) + 75:20:90 (N:P:K) = CLMF
D F1
LMF LM
Maize setup, NR
LM
DCF2
CLMF
cassava setup, NR
Merger, RT
LM
CF2
LMF
D
CLMF
F1

7. To monitor the effect of N, P and K
on cassava and maize growth,
development and yields in the
system.
Task 1
 Height (both crops).
 Nr of leaves (both crops).
 Stem diameter (both
crops).
 Canopy dimension
(cassava)
 Root (cassava) and cob
yield (maize), etc
To elucidate the relationship
between light interception and
soil moisture/temperature
dynamism as influenced by
fertilization and increased maize
density.
Task 2
 Light measurements with PAR
sensors.
 Soil moisture and temp. using
moisture probes and
thermobottons at 20cm and
50cm.
 Air temp. above and below
canopies.
To determine the effect of
N:P:K mineral nutrient
fertilizer on cassava root
starch and cyanide contents.
Task 3
 Starch and cyanide contents
(3, 6, 9 and 12 WAP)
Overview of measurements/overview of field observations

8. Result overview
Days to anthesis Days to silking
Df. Sum. sq Mean sq F value Pr(>F)
Density 1 0.17 0.17 0.1039 0.7505
Fertilizer 2 860.25 430.13 268.1299 3.61e-15***
Residuals 20 32.08 1.60
Signif. codes: 0 ‘***’ 0.001 ‘**’ 0.01 ‘*’ 0.05 ‘.’ 0.1 ‘ ’ 1

9. Maize cob yield (t/ha)
Cassava + Maize (40k plants/ha) NoF = D
Cassava + Maize (20k plants/ha) NoF = LM
Cassava + Maize (40k plants/ha) + 90:20:40 = F1
Cassava + Maize (20k plants/ha) + 90:20:40 = LMF
Cassava + Maize (40k plants/ha) + 75:20:90 = CF2
Cassava + Maize (20K plants/ha) + 75:20:90 = CLMF
Df. Sum. sq Mean sq F value Pr(>F)
Density 1 6.80 6.80 5.08 0.03*
Fertilizer 2 15.44 7.72 5.76 0.01 *
Residuals 20 15.44 1.33
Yield response
to high density
Yield response
to fertilization

10. Cob yield vs growth variables
Cob yield = FrshCb.t.ha
Number of visible collar = NoVisCol
Number of dead leaves = NoDeadlf

11. Cassava height (cm)
Cassava
height
responded to
fertilization,
no response
to maze
density

12. Number of Green leaves

13. Stem diameter

14. Preliminary recommendations and Future hypotheses
Preliminary conclusion/recommendation
 F1 (40k maize + N:P:K 90:20:40) recommended for increased
maize yield in the system.
 Maize density up to 40k/ha had no negative effect on
cassava growth so far.
Hypotheses to be tested in the future
 Cassava growth and root yield to be higher in CF2 and CLMF
relative to F1 and LMF.
 Cassava starch content to increase with fertilization.

15. Overview of 2018 work plan
 Site selection: Feb./March, 2018.
 Site preparation: April, 2018.
 Trial establishment: May – June, 2018.
 Maize harvest: 12 weeks after trial establishment for 2018 trials.
 Cassava harvest: June – August, 2018 for 2017 trials, May – June, 2019 for the 2018
trials.
 Lab work: between May, 2018 – June, 2019.

16. Thank
You!