Comparative Analysis of Seasonal Effects on the Growth Performance and Yield of Potato (Solanum Tuberosum Lin.) Under Agro -Forestry System (Alley Cropping) with the Rattle Tree (Albizia Lebbeck Benth)

Abstract

For the past decades potato production in the Jos Plateau, Nigeria had been in two seasons ( wet and dry), on open field, not under alley cropping and many potato farmers lack adequate knowledge regarding the different seasonal effects which could have enabled them devised means of circumventing the negative effects. Thus, this study was carried out to assess the differences in seasonal effects on the growth and yield of potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) under agrisilvicultural (alley cropping) system with emphasis on the germination, growth performance, diseases attack and yield. It was a completely randomized block design consisting of five treatments and three replicates (with or without the green manure and tree rows of A. lebbeck) for 5 cropping seasons within 3 years. Results indicated that mean potato yield in dry seasons / irrigated (7.88t/ha) was higher than that of  rainy  (rainfed) cropping seasons (7.11t/ha) due to higher  level  of disease attack (bacterial wilt and soft rot), soil moisture content, mini erosion and weed competition in the rain fed croppings. Analysis of variance showed significant differences in germination, some apparent growth parameters, disease attack and yield (at P<0.01). Regression / correlation analyses indicated that collar girth had the highest positive correlation with yield (r = 0.954, R² = 0.910, P < 0.01) in rain fed cropping seasons while leaf count recorded the highest positive correlation with yield during the  irrigated cropping seasons (r = 0.958, R² = 0.913, P < 0.01).

Keywords: seasons, effects, alley cropping, potato, yield