Growth and Yield Performance of Roselle Accessions as Influenced by Intercropping with Maize in the Guinea Savannah Ecology of Ghana

Abstract

Growing roselle with maize is common in Ghana. However, there is little information on whether the choice of accession affects maize/roselle intercrops. Also, there is little information on whether intercropping roselle with maize is beneficial or detrimental to the yields of the crops. A field experiment was conducted for two seasons to assess the growth and yield performance of three roselle accessions as influenced by intercropping with maize and to assess whether maize growth and yield would be influenced upon intercropping with roselle. e roselle accessions were Bissap, Local, and Samadah. Intercropped roselle accessions, their soles, and sole maize were arranged in a randomized complete block design with three replications. Intercrop performance was determined using area × time equivalence ratio (ATER) and competitive ratio (CR). e results showed significant differences in roselle accessions for growth and yield performance. Local outperformed the other accessions in both growth and yield attributes. Roselle calyx and shoot yields were significantly higher in intercrops than in soles. Maize growth and yield were not significantly affected by intercropping with roselle, but maize yield attributes differed between seasons. e ATERs were 1.99, 2.18, and 2.49 for Samadah, Bissap, and Local, respectively, indicating that there was productive use of space and time for intercropping. e CR ranged from 1.03 to 1.17, 0.96 to 1.09, and 1.12 to 1.25 for stem diameter, number of leaves per plant, and plant height, respectively. e study showed that the choice of accession did not affect the intercrop performance. It also showed that intercropping roselle with maize is beneficial to roselle without compromising the yield of maize.

Evaluación morfoagronómica de la jamaica (Hibiscus sabdariffa L.) variedad Ficaru 90 en un suelo Fluvisol

“…En promedio, esta variedad presentó 215.7 cálices/ planta, superior al constatado en la presente investigación. Ayipio et al (2018), al evaluar cuatro variedades locales en el norte de Ghana, en el continente africano mostraron que la altura de estos cultivares no superó los 1.20 m. Otros autores como (Degu y Tesfaye, 2017y Naquib et al, 2019 plantearon indicadores inferiores de crecimiento en este cultivo.…”

“…Sin embargo, González y Chamorro (2017) informaron valores superiores para la variedad Reina salvadoreña, en Nicaragua. Igualmente, Ayipio et al (2018) informaron valores superiores de peso seco de los cálices por planta en el norte de Ghana.…”