Effectiveness of maize as an intercrop in the management of insect pests of okra: Is there a better intercrop pattern than random intercrop practiced by farmers?

A field trial was carried out during the rainy season of 2015 at the Teaching and Research Farm of Faculty of Agriculture, University of Port Harcourt, Nigeria to determine the effectiveness of maize Zea mays L. as an intercrop in managing the pests of okra Abelmoschus esculentum L. There were five treatments namely 1: 1, 2: 1, 3: 1 (okra to maize intercrop ratios), farmers’ practice (random intercrop) and control plot (sole okra). The treatments were assigned one to a plot and arranged in randomized complete block design with four replications. Data were taken on number of days to 50% seedling emergence, 50% flowering and 50% fruiting, number of holes in the leaf damage, number of fruits, weight of undamaged fruits, weight of damaged fruit and population density of insect pests. The sole okra had the highest leaf damage and number of insect pests. Podagrica uniforma Jacoby (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) was the most important insect pest of okra in terms of population density. Okra intercropped with maize in the ratio of 1:1 was the most effective intercrop system in insect pest management. The intercrop pattern should be promoted while random intercrop pattern practiced by farmers should be discouraged.