GROWTH AND YIELD OF CORN INTERCROPPED WITH GIANT IPIL-IPIL ON A HILLSIDE

Abstract

Ipil-ipil intercrop significantly enhanced the maturity of corn plants and increased ear length, ear diameter, and grain yield per plant. However, tasseling, plant height, ear height, number of ears per plant, and shelling percentage were not significantly affected. Corn plots intercropped with 10, 15, and 20 ipil-ipil plants per linear meter (T1, T2, and T3) gave computed yields of 69.9, 73.4, and 7.0 g/plant, all of which were significantly higher than the control plot (To) which yielded 48.5 g/plant. This indicated that grain yield per plant was improved by the ipil-ipil intercrop. In terms of total grain yield, however, no marked differences were observed between the intercropped corn and control plots due to the differences in plant population. The smaller and shorter ears obtained in the control plot (To) were compensated by the number of plants which was twice as many as in T1, T2, and T3. However, the yields in T2 and T3 exceeded slightly that of To. The average yield obtained was 49.52 cavans or 2.77 t/ha. Hill erosion during heavy rains was greater in To than in T1, T2, and T3.