International Journal of Horticulture 2016, Vol.6, No.1, 1
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7
cowpea was sown at the time of transplanting pepper
into pineapple, especially for rainy season planting of
2011, is attributable to its competition resulted from
the effect of competition with component crops
(pepper and cowpea). The vigorous growth of cowpea
and its extended vegetative phase impacted the
pineapple growth and yield when it was sown at the
time of transplanting pepper completely shaded
pineapple. The lower yield of pineapple could have
stemmed from the unfavourable weather condition
during the following dry season which reduced the
plant vigour. The impacts of the intercropping decline
with time and resulted in little difference in fruit yield
between sole pineapple and pineapple-pepper-cowpea
intercrops. Fukai and Trenbath (1993) reported that
the late maturing component crops in intercropping as
in the case of pineapple may be affected by the
presence of the associated crop, but a long time period
for further growth after the harvest of the component
crops ensures full use of available growth resources.
The vigour of cowpea growth in the rainy season
planting of 2012 was lower when compared to that of
rainy season experiment of 2011; this could have
enhanced growth and yield of pineapple due to
reduced competition and shading. Sowing cowpea
early in the late-season planting in 2012 resulted in
high cowpea vigour and subsequently lower fruit yield
of pineapple. The higher pineapple fruit yield obtained
in the late season experiments could be attributed to
reduced competition resulting from shorter growth
duration of intercropped cowpea and the rapid
senescence and interfering cowpea biomass. Uriza
et
al.
(2002) concluded that with a good crop
management high fruit yield and quality of pineapple
could is obtainable intercropping.
4 Conclusion
The vigorous growth, extended vegetative phase and
enhanced competition by cowpea and pepper impacted
the pineapple growth and fruit yield. The impacts of
the intercropping on pineapple declined with time
with respect to the period of recovery growth after the
harvest of intercrop component crops and availability
of resources especially when cowpea was sown late
into the intercrop. Delayed sowing of cowpea into
pineapple-pepper intercrop resulted in higher pineapple
fruit yield and yield components. Delayed sowing of
cowpea into pineapple-pepper intercrop reduced the
effect of intercropping on growth and yield of
pineapple. Higher fruit yields was obtained in the
late-season planting due to reduced competition as
result of shorter duration of intercropping phase. Hence,
delayed introduction of cowpea into pineapple-pepper
intercrop between 3 to 9 weeks in the rainy-season
planting and 3 weeks after transplanting pepper in the
late-season crop would ensure that farmers obtain high
yield of pineapple close to what is obtainable under
sole pineapple in addition to additional income from
cowpea and pepper at the establishment phase of
pineapple while the cropping system achieves higher
efficiency of resource utilization.
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