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Field evaluation of planting pattern effects on performance of kenaf (Hibiscus cannabinus L.) varieties in a maize intercropping system Cover

Field evaluation of planting pattern effects on performance of kenaf (Hibiscus cannabinus L.) varieties in a maize intercropping system

Open Access
|Feb 2026

Figures & Tables

Figure 1.

Plant height of three kenaf (Hibiscus cannabinus L.) varieties at different plant ages as influenced by spacing of sowing.

Figure 2.

Stem diameter of three kenaf (Hibiscus cannabinus L.) varieties at different plant ages as influenced by spacing of sowing.

Figure 3.

Plant height of three kenaf (Hibiscus cannabinus L.) varieties at different plant ages as influenced by cropping system.

Figure 4.

Stem diameter of three kenaf (Hibiscus cannabinus L) varieties at different plant ages as influenced by cropping system.

Weather information of the study area during the study (July-December)_

Parameters20232024
Mean maximum temperature [ºC]31.431.5
Mean minimum temperature [ºC]23.53.0
Mean precipitation [mm/day]3.62.9
Mean relative humidity [%]81.777.6
Total precipitation [mm]582.0509.5

Growth (across different plant ages) and yield of maize as influenced by the cropping system_

Cropping systemsPlant height [cm]Number of leaves
4 WAS6 WAS8 WAS10 WAS4 WAS6 WAS8 WAS10 WAS
Sole25.43 a55.19 a81.33 a108.48 a6.42 a7.47 a9.81 a10.63 a
Maize + ARTKEN 21125.28 a51.52 a80.73 a112.71 a6.08 a7.61 a9.92 a10.83 a
Maize + IFEKEN 40026.47 a53.96 a83.37 a121.84 a6.28 a7.33 a9.83 a10.56 a
Maize + IFEKEN 400 DI27.06 a54.19 a78.94 a120.63 a6.4 a7.34 a9.76 a10.75 a
Leaf area [cm2]Stem diameter [cm]
4 WAS6 WAS8 WAS10 WAS4 WAS6 WAS8 WAS10 WAS
Sole55.10 a232.26 a349.59 a435.36 a0.61 a1.22 a1.37 a1.97 a
Maize + ARTKEN 21150.72 a186.90 a316.45 a466.77 a0.51 a1.21 a1.37 a1.63 a
Maize + IFEKEN 40045.51 a198.35 a310.68 a406.11 a0.54 a1.19 a1.37 a1.64 a
Maize + IFEKEN 400 DI52.94 a187.20 a310.66 a403.91 a0.57 a1.23 a1.42 a1.63 a
Grain yield [t/ha]100-seed weight [kg]
12 WAS12 WAS
Sole1.11 a0.014 a
Maize + ARTKEN 2111.25 a0.012 a
Maize + IFEKEN 4001.40 a0.013 a
Maize + IFEKEN 400 DI1.60 a0.013 a

Mean square values from the analysis of variance for growth and yield components of maize intercropped with three kenaf varieties under two spacing in two seasons_

Sources of variationDegree of freedomPlant heightStem diameterNumber of leavesLeaf areaGrain yield100-seed weight
Cropping system (CS)3177.81 ns0.12 ns0.12 ns9243.86 ns0.52 ns0.001 ns
Season (S)114763.36***0.09 ns8.83***1952.52 ns7.04***0.001 ns
Spacing (SP)2823.85*0.02 ns1.78 ns14662.04 ns0.18 ns0.006*
CS × S3109.07 ns0.36 ns2.67**10453.80 ns0.84 ns0.001 ns
CS × SP3108.09 ns0.31 ns2.59**7703.12 ns0.21 ns0.004 ns
SP× S13740.18***0.58 ns6.44**66852.76***0.24 ns0.002 ns
CS × SP× S3386.31 ns0.21 ns0.58 ns38549.98 ns0.22 ns0.000 ns

Mean effect of seasonal and spacing variation on growth and yield of maize intercropped with kenaf under two spacing in two seasons_

Sources of variationPlant height [cm]Number of leavesLeaf area [cm2]Stem diameter [cm]Grain yield [t/ha]100-seed weight [kg]

average over 4–10 WASat 12 WAS
Spacing
  50 cm × 15 cm67.124 b8.472 a241.79 a1.226 a1.402 a0.014 a
  50 cm × 25 cm71.267 a8.665 a259.27 a1.208 a1.278 a0.012 b

Season
  First77.965 a8.354 b247.34 a1.239 a0.957 b0.014 a
  Second60.427 b8.783 a253.72 a1.195 a1.723 a0.013 a

Effect of season, variety, cropping system and spacing on growth, yield and yield components of three kenaf (Hibiscus cannabinus L_) varieties intercropped with maize at two spacing dimensions in two seasons_

TreatmentsPlant height [cm]Number of leavesStem diameter [cm]Number of capsules/plantNumber of seeds/capsuleSeed yield [t/ha]Core yield [t/ha]Bast fibre yield [t/ha]

average over 4–10 WAS#at 10 WAS
Kenaf varieties
ARTKEN 21150.158 a41.764 a0.853 a22.729 a17.817 a1.815 a2.229 a0.812 a
IFEKEN 40045.090 b38.124 a0.723 b22.271 a18.073 a1.961 a2.077 a0.744 a
IFEKEN DI 40048.041 a42.273 a0.787 a25.438 a17.429 a2.355 a2.100 a1.028 a

Season
First51.628 a41.734 a0.675 b30.347 a19.614 a3.262 a0.959 b0.811 a
Second43.897 b39.706 a0.900 a16.611 b15.932 b0.825 b3.311 a0.912 a

Cropping system
Sole45.250 b39.981 a0.749 b22.438 a18.136 a1.963 a2.245 a0.777 a
Intercrop50.275 a41.458 a0.826 a24.521 a17.410 a2.123 a2.025 a0.947 a

Spacing
0.50 m × 0.15 m49.081 a42.623 a0.828 a23.028 a18.838 a1.963 a2.843 a1.185 a
0.50 m × 0.25 m46.445 b38.817 a0.747 b23.931 a16.708 b2.124 a1.427 b0.538 b

Mean square values from the analysis of variance for growth and yield parameters of kenaf varieties intercropped with maize under two spacing dimensions in two seasons_

Sources of variationDegree of freedomPlant heightStem diameterNumber of leavesNumber of seeds/capsuleSeed yieldNumber of capsules/plantCore yieldBast fibre yield
Variety (V)2621.87**0.40**491.67 ns2.52 ns1.88 ns70.29 ns0.16 ns0.53 ns
Cropping system (CS)11817.96***0.42**157.04 ns9.50 ns0.46 ns78.13 ns0.87 ns0.87 ns
Season (S)14303.21***3.63***296.06 ns244.02***106.95***3396.25***99.55***0.18 ns
Spacing (SP)1500.20*0.48**1042.72 ns81.06**0.47 ns14.67 ns36.11***7.54**
V × CS237.97 ns0.10 ns17.23 ns0.92 ns4.46 ns43.16 ns0.50 ns0.71 ns
V × S2482.69*0.01 ns747.27 ns1.62 ns1.58 ns85.68 ns0.01 ns1.35 ns
V × SP22.23 ns0.04 ns142.27 ns7.42 ns2.54 ns3.67 ns1.01 ns1.37 ns
CS × S1302.20 ns0.15 ns370.52 ns1.76 ns0.08 ns39.01 ns0.60 ns0.67 ns
CS × SP1835.21**0.03 ns126.23 ns31.67 ns0.94 ns105.13 ns1.96 ns0.24 ns
S × SP13158.47***0.11 ns3222.26**0.01 ns11.12*243.84*17.61 ns0.15 ns
V × CS × S251.29 ns0.02 ns90.48 ns14.19 ns5.66 ns119.21 ns1.49 ns1.48 ns
V × CS × SP237.95 ns0.01 ns375.40 ns0.12 ns1.69 ns73.26*2.70 ns2.16 ns
V × S × SP213.61 ns0.05 ns210.87 ns2.97 ns2.67 ns32.67 ns0.42 ns0.80 ns
CS × S × SP184.34 ns0.08 ns36.13 ns0.002 ns0.53 ns70.01 ns0.68 ns0.89 ns
DOI: https://doi.org/10.2478/cag-2025-0018 | Journal eISSN: 3071-740X | Journal ISSN: 2081-2787
Language: English
Page range: 207 - 217
Submitted on: Jun 30, 2025
Accepted on: Dec 9, 2025
Published on: Feb 11, 2026
In partnership with: Paradigm Publishing Services
Publication frequency: 1 issue per year

© 2026 Ibukunolu O. Udemba, Samson O. Olanipekun, Olatunde P. Ayodele, Eyitayo A. Makinde, Olutayo N. Adeniyan, published by Institute of Soil Science and Plant Cultivation
This work is licensed under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 License.