Nigerian Journal of Crop Science

Rainfed field experiment was conducted in 2006 and repeated in 2007 at the Department of Agronomy, Michael Okpara University of Agriculture, Umudike, Abia State, Nigeria to determine the optimum plant population of egusi melon for weed control, weeding frequency and yield of the component crops in sweet corn and egusi melon intercrop. The treatments were cropping systems (sole and intercrop), egusi melon plant population (0; 10,000 and 20,000 plants/ha and weeding frequency (zero weeding, one weeding at· 3 weeks after planting (WAP) and two weeding at 3 and 8 WAP). The treatments were fitted in a 2 x 3 x 3 factorial. There were three replications. The results showed that intercropping !tad significant effect on growth, yield and yield components of sweet com and egusi melon in both cropping seasons. Higher egusi melon plant population /tad no significant effect on sweet corn grain yield but gave better egusi melon seed yield. Weeding frequency significantly (P