Journal of Experimental Agriculture International

This trial was conducted to determine maize spacing and weed control effect on the performance of maize/rice intercrop in the Guinea Savanna of Ghana. The study was a 4 x 4 factorial experiment laid out in Randomised Complete Block Design with 3 replications. Four maize spacing’s: 90 x 40 cm, 85 x 40 cm, 80 x 40 cm and 75 x 40 cm and four weed control regimes: weeding at 3 & 6 WAP, weeding at 3, 6 & 9 WAP, weed free and weedy check (no weeding) were used as treatments. Rice was planted at 20 x 20 cm within maize rows, resulting in a 1:2 row arrangement. Data were collected on growth parameters, grain yield, weed biomass and weed species richness. Days to 50% flowering of rice, panicle weight and rice grain yield were significantly enhanced by the interaction effect of maize spacing and weed control. It was evident that, weeding at 3 & 6 WAP and 3, 6 & 9 WAP were best for controlling weeds and resulted in significant influence in almost all of the data taken likewise rice in maize spacing of 85 x 40 cm and 80 x 40 cm. Therefore, to ensure that plant densities are not reduced, farmers are adviced to intercrop maize with rice, using maize spacing of 80 x 40 cm. Similarly, to save time, small-scale farmers are advised to weed only twice at 3 & 6 WAP. However, it was prudent not to suggest any recommendation from the two and three hand weeding’s in interaction with maize spacing, since the results for the interaction appeared not consistent.