Growth and yield of maize (Zea mays L.) as influenced by cropping pattern and weed control treatments in the forest – savanna agro-ecological zone of southwest Nigeria

Field trials were conducted in the early cropping seasons of 2014, 2015 and 2016 at Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta (7° 20‘ N, 3° 23‘ E) Nigeria to evaluate intercropped cucumber and jackbean as supplements to pre-emergence herbicides on growth and yield of maize. The treatments were arranged in a split – plot arrangement fitted into Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with three replications. The six main plot treatments consisted of maize at 100 × 37.5 cm intercropped with cucumber, maize at 100 × 37.5 cm intercropped with jackbean, maize at 75 × 50 cm intercropped with cucumber, maize at 75 × 50 cm intercropped with jackbean, sole maize at 100 × 37.5 cm, sole maize at 75 × 50 cm, completed the treatments as controls. Eight treatments were assigned to the sub – plot. Data collected were subjected to Analysis of Variance while significant means were separated using Duncan`s Multiple Range Test (p <0.05). Sole maize at 75 × 50 cm and the intercrop with jackbean consistently produced significantly higher (p <0.05) shoot dry matter, compared to other cropping patterns while maize intercropped with cucumber depressed the aforementioned parameter. Propaben at 1.6 kg a.i·ha-1 followed by (fb) supplementary hoe weeding (SHW) resulted in higher stand count, vigour score, shoot dry matter and maize cob yield relative to other weed control methods. Therefore, maize should be planted at 75 × 50 cm with or without jackbean and sprayed with Propaben at 1.6 kg a.i·ha-1 fb SHW as this gave the maximum values.