The Effect of Cassava and Melon Intercrop as Influenced by Wedding Regimes in Makurdi Benue State, Nigeria.

This study was conducted at Joseph Sarwun Tarker University Teaching and Research Farm Makurdi, in 2023 and 2024 rainy season to examine the effectiveness of weeding regimes on growth and yield components of cassava/melon intercrop. The experiment was laid out in a randomized complete block design arrangement and replicated three times. The treatments were the weeding regimes (0, 1 and 2) and farming methods were (sole TMS 419, sole melon and TMS 419 + melon). Both growth and yield parameters where recorded for cassava (plant height, number of leaves, leaf area, crop growth rate, fresh root weight, number of plant-able stems, root circumference and number of root per plant). Growth and yield parameters of melon (plant height, number of leaves, leaf area, crop growth rate, internode length, vine length, pod weight, number of pods, 100 seed weight and yield).  Results showed that the growth and yield components of both cassava and melon were significantly different (P<0.05), on farming method. Intercrop TMS 419 and melon remained outstanding in  the  growth characteristics ( plant height - 102.28cm, number of leaves - 138.12, leaf area - 74.10 and crop growth rate - 7.60). Also, sole TMS 419 outperformed the other treatments in yield characteristics (fresh root weight - 9.28, number of plant-able stems - 2700.12, root circumference - 9.10 and number of roots per plant - 7.55). For sole melon ( internode length - 20.23cm, vine length - 229.18, pod weight - 823.50g, number of pods - 36.60, 100 seed weight - 201.11g and yield - 3332.23kg/ha). From the results obtained, intercrop is more advantageous compared to sole crops. Also, weeding twice a year recorded the best result in all the treatments examined. However, 2024 planting outperformed year 2023 season.  This study therefore, recommends twice weeding and cassava/melon intercrop to serve as weed control mechanism and proper land utilization.