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A field experiment was carried out at the Teaching and Research Farm of Faculty of Agriculture, University of Maiduguri during 2012 and 2013 cropping seasons in a Randomised Complete Block design with five treatments replicated three times. Treatments comprised of one sole tomato (1:0) and four inter crop patterns (1:1, 1:2, 2:2 and 1:3). The objective of the study was to investigate the effect of intercropping tomato (base crop) and maize (component crop) in reducing the incidence and damage of tomato fruit borer (Helicoverpa armigera) in Northern Guinea Savannah of Nigeria. The results showed that fruit borer larvae holes per plant was found minimum when tomato was intercropped and maximum in sole crop tomato. Higher fruit damaged per plant and lower undamaged fruits were recorded in sole crop tomato than intercrop tomato and this supported the higher fruit weight and total fruit yield in intercrop tomato than sole tomato. This study therefore recommends maize and tomato intercrop for more effective fruit borer control. There should be a need for identifying effective intercropping patterns in other cropping systems for a sustainable vegetable production in Nigeria.

Key words: Tomato, fruit borer, intercropping, maize.

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Citation: Degri MM, Samaila AE (2014). Impact of intercropping tomato and maize on the infestation of tomato fruit borer [Helicoverpa armigera (Hubner)]. J. Agric. Crop Res. 2(8): 160-164.