Yield and Yield’s Components of Cowpea, Sorghum and Roselle Intercropped at Different Spatial Arrangements

Intercropping, the cultivation of two or more crops at the same time in the same field, is a common practice in North Korodfan of Sudan in traditional farms of smallholders. This experiment conducted in rainy season (2019/2020) to investigate the effect of intercropping on yield and yield components of cowpea (Vigan unguiculta L), sorghum (Sorghum bicolor L. Moench) and roselle (Hibiscus sabdariffa var. sabdariffa L) intercropped at different spatial arrangements. The experiment consisted of nine treatments: three sole crop of Sorghum Cowpea, and Roselle and eight spatial arrangements of 1:1, 1:2, 2:1, and 2:2 rows of Cowpea with each of Sorghum or Roselle. A randomized complete block design (RCBD) with four replications was used. The results showed that intercropping treatments had significant (P ≤ 0.05) effect on most of the parameters measured on Sorghum, Cowpea and Roselle intercropping. For sorghum: the spatial arrangements 2:2 and 1:1 had the significant highest 100-seed weight (2.9 g) and final seed yield (0.34 ton/ha). For cowpea: the treatment 2:2 had the highest number of pods per plant, 100 seed weight, and shoot dry weight for cowpea. The intercropping 2C:1S had a highest cowpea seed yield (4.2 ton/ha) compared to others spatial arrangements. For roselle the intercropping 2C:2R (two rows of cowpea alternated with two rows of roselle) had the higher number of calyx per plant (19.7) and calyx yield (9.7 g/plant) than the other spatial arrangements. From this study, the practice of planting two rows of cowpea alternating with two rows of sorghum is recommended for farmers under rain-fed sector.