INFLUENCE OF SORGHUM- LEGUME INTERCROP ON SORGHUM (SORGHUM BICOLOR L. MOENCH) PRODUCTIVITY AND SEVERITY OF STRIGA INFESTATION IN BAUCHI STATE

Abstract

A field experiment was conducted during the 2023 and 2024 rainy season at Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Teaching and Research Farm Bauchi to determine the influence of sorghum- legume intercrop on sorghum productivity and severity of Striga infestation. The treatments consisted of two sorghum varieties (SK-5912 and CSR-01), three different legume types, Groundnut (Dakar), Cowpea (Kwankwasiya) and soybean (TGZ 1951) and two (2) spatial arrangements (1:2 and 1:3). These were factorially combined to give 14 treatments combination and laid out in a randomized complete block design (RCBD) with three replications. All the data collected were subjected to analysis of variance (ANOVA) to test the level of significance of all the treatment. Duncan’s Multiple Range Test (DMRT) was adopted to separate significantly different treatment means. The results revealed a significant (P ≤ 0.05) response of sorghum varieties to the cropping system. Sorghum variety SK-5912 produced significantly taller plants at 4 and 6 weeks after sowing (WAS) during the 2023 season, while cropping system 1 resulted in taller plants throughout the study period. In terms of the number of leaves, variety SK-5912 produced a higher number of leaves at 10 WAS during the 2024 season, while cropping systems 2, 3, and 4 produced more leaves at 8 WAS, and cropping system 3 outperformed at 10 WAS. The results further indicated that cropping systems 2, 3, and 4 significantly produced a larger leaf area throughout the study period. Additionally, SK-5912 and cropping systems 1 and 2 resulted in greater panicle length, panicle weight, 1000-grain weight, and grain yield per hectare in both seasons. A land equivalent ratio (LER) of 1.15 demonstrated the advantage of intercropping one row of sorghum with two rows of groundnut. Furthermore, SK-5912 and intercropping one row of sorghum with two rows of groundnut produced fewer Striga plants per plot at both the growth and yielding stages during the 2024 season. Based on the findings of this study, it is recommended that farmers in the study area adopt the cultivation of sorghum variety SK-5912 intercropped with groundnut at a 1:2 ratio to enhance sorghum productivity and reduce Striga infestation.