Effect of Organic Fertilizer and Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Inoculation on melon (Citrullus lanatus (Thumb) Mansf) Cassava (Manihot esculentus crantz) Intercropped

Abstract

Chemical inputs hamper soil system, organic inputs promote natural symbioses. Therefore, combination of organic inputs and beneficial soil fungi with harmonious cropping systems to harness available nutrients is needful. However, there is limiting information on the use of organic inputs and Arbuscular Mycorrhizal Fungi (AMF) in inter-cropping among farmers. Hence, a field trial was conducted in University of Ibadan to assess the response of melon (Sewere-cultivar) and cassava (TME1-Oko-iyawo). The experiment was in randomized complete block design (RCBD) and treatments arranged in a split-split arrangement, and replicated three times. The treatments are; Arbuscular Mychorrhizal inoculation-AM, No Fertilizer Application-NFA, Organic fertilizer-OF. Data on vegetative growth and yields of melon fruits and seeds, cassava storage roots were collected and analysed with Analysis of Variance (ANOVA α_0.05). The results showed that mycorrhizal inoculation under melon-cassava intercropping increased crops performance but no significant difference in the growth patterns. Melon seeds yield under sole cropping was 122.0±16.4 kg/ha but increased to 499.5±25.8 kg/ha under intercropping with OF application with AM inoculation. Cassava storage root yield was reduced (9.6±2.4 t/ha) under sole cropping without OF and AM inoculation but increased (22.3±2.5 t/ha) under sole and intercropping, respectively.