Resultados preliminares de ensayos realizados en el CIAT con la asociacion maiz//name//yuca

Two expt. were carried out at CIAT-Palmira to assess maize//yam//cassava intercropping; species were planted alone or in double and triple combinations for a total of 11 treatments. Planting distances of 1.2 x 1.0 m, with furrows spaced at 1 m, were used for all 3 crops in monoculture as well as in associated cropping. The relative planting date of cassava was 30 and 60 days after maize planting (DAMP). The highest av. total wt. of cassava roots (24.5 t/ha) corresponded to the treatment in which cassava was planted 30 DAMP. Neither did this treatment significantly affect seed production; however, compared with monocropped cassava 30 DAMP, seed production was reduced, on av., by 75.75 percent. Intercropping with yam affected cassava less than intercropping with maize. A highly significant difference in plant height was observed with respect to the check, but no difference was observed among treatments in which cassava was intercropped with maize and/or yam. The thinnest roots were observed in maize/cassava 30 DAMP. Maize showed the strongest interaction in terms of competition for the cassava//maize, maize//yam, and maize//cassava//yam associated cropping systems. These results can partly explain the low cassava yields obtained by farmers on Colombia's Atlantic Coast, where these production systems are used. (CIAT)