Corn as main crop and pole sitao as relay crop planted at different planting dates

Eight treatments of relay cropping schemes including the farmer's practice of planting corn alone were tested for two consecutive years (1995-97) to assess the feasibility of relay cropping corn with pole sitao as relay crop to corn, and to find out the cost and return of each relay cropping scheme. This study was conducted at the experimental field of the La Granja National Crop Research and Development Center, La Carlota City [Philippines] using a randomized complete block design replicated three times. Results of the dry and wet season croppings revealed that yield of corn was significantly affected by the different planting dates of pole sitao planted after silking. Corn planted as monocrop during the dry season yielded significantly higher than the rest of the treatments (3.73 t/ha) but was comparable to corn/pole sitao planted 35 DAS (3.62 t/ha), 30 DAS (3.12 t/ha), and 25 DAS (3.06 t/ha). During the wet season cropping, corn alone obtained the highest yield (4.0 t/ha) but was comparable to corn/pole sitao planted 35 DAS (3.85 t/ha), 30 DAS (3.70 t/ha) and 25 DAS (3.62 t/ha). Marketable pod yield of pole sitao was significantly affected by the different planting dates for both seasons. Corn/pole sitao planted 20 DAS obtained the highest yield of 8.42 t/ha but was comparable to 15 DAS with 7.58 t/ha during the dry season. The same treatments showed the same trend for the wet season cropping with 9.21 and 8.05 t/ha, respectively. The longest marketable pods during the dry season and wet season croppings came from corn/pole sitao planted 20 DAS with 38.7 and 41.0 cm, respectively. The most profitable relay cropping scheme was corn/pole sitao planted 20 DAS (corn relayed with pole sitao planted 20 days after silking) with Marginal Benefit Ration (MBCR) of 7.79. This study proved that relay cropping corn with pole sitao is feasible and profitable