IMPACT OF SPATIAL ARRANGEMENT ON GROWTH, YIELD AND PROFITABILITY OF MAIZE – GROUNDNUT INTERCROPPING SYSTEM

Abstract

In 2017, two separate experiments were carried out at Vani in East Gonja District and Zoggu in Savelugu Municipal in Northern Region of Ghana to evaluate the impact of row spatial arrangement on growth and economic profitability of maize-groundnut intercropping system. The purpose of the study was to determine the growth and yield of maize and groundnut in intercropping system. It was also to determine the economic and cost benefit analysis of the maize-groundnut intercropping system. There were six treatments comprising1:1, 1:2 row, 2:1, 2:2 row arrangement respectively for maize and groundnut. Sole maize and sole groundnut were used as control to the intercrops. The experiment was organized in randomized complete block design in three replications per each location. There were significant effects of spatial arrangement on plant height of maize, maize yield and kernel yield of groundnut at Vani. However, there were no significant difference among cob length, cob weight, and pod diameter and pod length of groundnut at Vani. At Zoggu, both maize yield and kernel yield of groundnut were significantly affected by the intercropping. 1:1 row arrangement had the highest land equivalent ratio at both locations. The estimated net profit and monetary advantages index of the various spatial arrangements produced a definite gain for some of the spatial arrangements at both locations. Benefit cost ratio were consistently greater than 1 in both locations except 2:1 row arrangement at Zoggu. It can be concluded that having equal rows of maize and groundnut following each other is the best intercropping system for maize and groundnut. Therefore, based on the findings reported, it can be recommended to use 1:1 row and 2: 2 row arrangement for maize -groundnut intercropping in areas where land has become scarce for monoculture.