Yield Performance of Okra (Abelmoschus esculentus L. Moench) and Maize (Zea mays L.) as Affected by Time of Planting Maize in Makurdi, Nigeria

Table 4

Land equivalent ratio (LER), competitive ratio (CR), and Percentage (%) of land saved from intercropping okra and maize planted at different times in 2010 and 2011 cropping seasons.

Treatments	Sole crop yield (t ha^−1)				Intercrop yield (t ha^−1)				Okra-maize mixture
	Sole okra		Sole maize		okra		maize		LER		Lo		Lm		CR		% Land saved
	2010	2011	2010	2011	2010	2011	2010	2011	2010	2011	2010	2011	2010	2011	2010	2011	2010	2011
Soles	6.0	5.7	4.9	4.5	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—	—
OM (same time)	—	—	—	—	5.3	4.8	4.4	4.1	1.78	1.75	0.88	0.84	0.90	0.91	0.98	0.92	43.8	42.9
OM + 2	—	—	—	—	5.2	4.4	3.2	3.2	1.52	1.48	0.87	0.77	0.65	0.71	1.34	1.08	34.2	32.4
OM + 4	—	—	—	—	5.8	5.5	2.2	2.0	1.42	1.40	0.97	0.96	0.45	0.44	2.16	2.18	29.6	28.6

Soles: sole crops of okra and maize planted in mid June. OM (Same time): okra planted at the same time with maize in mid June.
OM + 2: maize planted 2 weeks later in late June into okra plots. OM + 4: maize planted 4 weeks later in early July into okra plots.
LER = (Intercrop yield of crop A/Sole crop yield of Crop A) + (Intercrop yield of crop B/Sole crop yield of Crop B).
Lo, Lm = Partial LER of component crops.
CR = Lo/Lm (Division of the partial land equivalent ratios of the component crops).
% land saved = 100 −1/LER × 100.