Yield evaluation of three sesame (Sesamum indicum L.) varieties intercropped with maize (Zea mays L.) in a Southern Guinea Savannah location, Nigeria

Field experiments were conducted from July to November during the 2012 and 2013 cropping seasons, at the Research Farm, University of Agriculture, Makurdi, Nigeria, to evaluate the yields of two newly introduced sesame varieties (Ex Sudan and SN 603) against the commonly grown variety “E-8” under intercropping with maize variety „Oba 98‟. The trial area consisted of a total of seven treatments, replicated three times in a randomized complete block design. The results showed that, though maize yield was not significantly (P ≤ 0.05) affected by intercropping with sesame varieties, however, intercropped yield of sesame variety „Ex Sudan‟ was significantly (P ≤ 0.05) greater by 26.8 % and 25.6 % respectively, in years 2012 and 2013, compared to that obtained from intercropped sesame variety „SN 603‟, and by 19.5 % and 20.9 % respectively, in years 2012 and 2013, compared to that produced from intercropped popular sesame variety „E-8‟. Intercropping maize variety „Oba 98‟ with sesame variety „Ex Sudan‟ gave the highest total intercrop yield, greatest biological efficiency with a relative yield total values of 0.87 and 0.91 respectively, in 2012 and 2013. The combination also recorded the highest land equivalent ratio (LER), highest land equivalent coefficient, highest area x time equivalent ratio (ATER), highest total monetary returns (N584,200 and N588,600 respectively, in years 2012 and 2013) and highest monetary equivalent ratio (MER). The implication of study showed that sesame variety „Ex Sudan‟ performed best and could therefore be recommended as a potential replacement for the popular variety „E-8‟ under intercropping with maize variety „Oba 98‟ in Makurdi, Nigeria.