Uptake and Use Efficiencies of Nutrients by Sesame and Bambara Nut Alley Crops as Influenced by Manuring in a Cashew-Based Intercropping System in the Guinea Savanna Agroecology of Nigeria

Field experiments were conducted at at the experimental farm Cocoa Re-search Institute of Nigeria (CRIN) Sub-Station, Ochaja, in the Southern Guinea Savannaagro ecological zone of Nigeria to examine uptake and use efficien-cies of nutrients by Sesame and Bambara nut alley crops as influenced by manuring in a Cashew-based intercropping system. Experimental treatments were based on responses of sole and intercrop mixtures of Sesame and Bam-bara nut alley crops to Cocoa Pod Husk (CPH), pelletized organic fertilizer and NPK fertilizer in a cashew-based intercropping system. Data were collected on the growth and yield variables of the alley crops. Highest nitrogen harvest in-dex (NHI) for seed and leaf of alley crops were obtained from un-manure treated plants. Cocoa pod husk (CPH) significantly enhanced P uptake com-pared with other fertilizers applied. CPH improved Na, Ca, Mg Zn, Cu, P, K and carbohydrate in the leaves and Ca, Mg, Zn, Fe, Cu, crude fibre and car-bohydrate contents of seeds of sole crops while Sesame + Bambara had en-hanced contents of N, Ca, Mg, Zn, Cu, P, N, K, moisture, protein, and crude fi-bre, crude protein, moisture content in leaves. The effects of NPK were signifi-cant for N, K Ca, Zn, Fe, Cu, P, moisture and crude fibre, while in the un-manure (control) plots influenced N, fat and protein and nitrogen harvest index (NHI) of leaf and seeds. CPH and NPK fertilizers enhanced nutrient up-take and nitrogen harvest index of alley crops. Nutrient uptake was similar for the varieties of Sesame and Bambara nut as affected by the application of 4.84 and 9.68 Kg pelletized organic fertilizer. Sole Bambara had higher N and K concentration in leaves compared with Bambara +Sesame. In addition, sole Bambara had higher values of Physiology efficiency (PE), and fertilizer use ef-ficiency (FAE) compared to the mixed crops of Bambara + sesame. However, physiology efficiency (PE), and fertilizer use efficiency (FAE) were significantly lower for Bambara + Sesame. The un-manure plants had enhanced N, P and K uptake. Varietal effects were pronounced for most of the resource use effi-ciency variables measured. The alley crop varieties responded differently to 4.84 and 9.68 kg pelletized fertilizer treatments (Agronomy Efficiency (AE), N-removed at harvest and Internal Utilization Efficiency (IE) and partial fac-tor productivity (PFP)). Sesame variety NCRIBen04E had enhanced AE, N-remove at harvest, IE and PFP while variety E8 had significantly higher ap-parent Recovery Efficiency (RE), apparent Recovery Efficiency by difference (RE%), Physiology Efficiency (PE), Utilization Efficiency (UE), and internal Utilization Efficient (IE). Bambara variety TVSu999 had higher IUE, Agron-omy Efficiency (AE), Apparent Recovery Efficiency (RE), Physiology Effi-ciency (PE) and Fertilizer Agronomy using Efficiency respectively (FAE) com-pared to variety TVSu1166. The fertilizers affected most of the indicators of nutrient use efficiency (NUE) measured. The effects were significant on AE, agronomic N-use efficiency (ANUE), RE, UE and PFP. NPK fertilizer enhanced Physiology efficiency (PE) and Partial factor production. NPK fertilizer signifi-cantly enhanced NUE parameters compared to CPH and un-manure. CPH manure significantly influenced RE%, PE and IE. The Internal Utilization Effi-ciency and N-remove at harvest were compared with the un-manure plants (control). The effects of 9.68 kg/plot pelletized fertilizer, were pronounced on Agronomy Efficiency (AE), Apparent Recovery Efficiency by difference (RE%), Physiology Efficiency (PE), Utilization Efficiency (UE), N-removed at harvest and Internal Utilization Efficiency (IE). Similar trends were observed in the responses NUE of Sesame and Bambara manuring. The responses sole crops in terms of RE, PE UE PFP were similar while their intercrop combina-tions had significantly higher AE, RE, UE, PFP and N removed at harvest. Sole Sesame significantly influence Agronomy Efficiency (AE), Utilization Effi-ciency (UE), Internal Efficiency (IE) and Partial Fertilizer Production (PFP) and sole Bambara under NPK fertilizer had enhanced N-removed at harvest and apparent recovery by difference (RE%). Bambara + Sesame under cocoa pod husk (CPH) manure had enhanced apparent recovery efficiency by difference (RE%), fertilizer use efficiency (FAE) and internal utilization efficiency (IE). Sesame variety NCRIBen04E had enhanced Agronomy Efficiency (AE), N-removed at harvest and Internal Utilization Efficiency (IE) under 9.68 kg treatment while variety E8 had higher partial factor productivity (PFP) at 4.84 kg/plot pelletized organic fertilizer.