Analysis of fluted pumpkin seedTelfairia occidentalis Hook f. gave protein of 31.1 % and oil 47%. The protein is markedly deficient in the sulphur-containing amino acids (methionine and cystine) followed by lysine, valine, isoleucine and phenylalanine. The oil could be useful for cooking purposes, and the high degree of unsaturation might enable it to be used as a drying oil for paints and varnishes.

Six varieties of white clover, each grown with perennial ryegrass, four intervals between cuts and two levels of applied nitrogen in all combinations, were compared in a field experiment during the first 27 months after sowing.Increasing the interval between harvests from 3 or 4 to 8-12 weeks increased the yield of white clover and generally did not reduce the proportion of clover in total herbage. Increasing the interval between harvests reduced the number of grass tillers but increased grass yield and the size of grass leaves and increased grass height more than clover height; it also increased the proportion of petiole relative to leaflet in the clover. Differences between varieties in response to interval between harvests were small but supported the view that medium large-leaved varieties can with advantage be defoliated rather less frequently than small-leaved ones. The adverse effect of applied N on clover appeared almost equally great with all four intervals between harvests and further research on this topic is suggested. Applied N increased grass height more than clover height and increased the number of grass tillers, the size of grass leaves and grass yield. The medium large-leaved varieties seemed more tolerant of applied N than the smaller varieties.

Six varieties of white clover, each grown with perennial ryegrass, four intervals between cuts and two levels of applied nitrogen in all combinations, were compared in a field experiment during the first 27 months after sowing. Information about yields, crop fractions, heights and ryegrass tillers has been presented in an earlier paper (Wilman and Asiegbu, 1982). The present paper is concerned with the more detailed studies of white clover, which help to explain the yield results and contribute to the understanding of the response of this species to management when grown in competition with grass.Increasing the interval between harvests increased the length of clover stolon per unit area of ground and increased stolon diameter, petiole length, weight per leaf and number of leaves harvested as a proportion of the number present in the sward while only slightly reducing the rate of leaf emergence, helping to explain the positive effect of increasing the interval on clover yield noted in the earlier paper. During regrowth, successive leaves had longer petioles and the length of individual petioles increased beyond the stage at which the leaflets were fully opened. Weight per leaf in clover increased considerably from April to June and declined to below the April value by October. It was shown that weight per leaf can be greatly increased by increasing the interval between harvests without reducing the number of leaves harvested per unit area per year. The stolon length measurements provided some support for the view that medium large-leaved varieties of white clover can with advantage be defoliated rather less frequently than small-leaved varieties. Stolon length was less adversely affected by applied N in the medium large-than in the smallleaved varieties. The small-leaved varieties had thinner stolons than the medium large-leaved varieties but about twice the stolon length when no N was applied, and a relatively high proportion of leaves which escaped defoliation. The application of N reduced stolon diameter, increased petiole length and had little or no effect on weight per clover leaf.

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The effects of three okra planting densities (28 000; 56 000 and 111 000 plants ha') intercropped within or between maize rows were investigated in two field trials during the 1990 and 1991 wet seasons at Nsukka. The plant height and the leaf area index (LAI) increased as the planting density increased in sole or intercropped okra while the number of branches per plant decreased with increasing okra planting density. The height of maize plants also increased as okra planting density increased but the LAI decreased. Intercropping reduced the yield and yield components (number and weight of pods per plant) of okra and maize (number of cobs, cob length and 100-grain weight). Increasing okra planting density reduced the sole and the intercropped okra and also the maize intercrop yield by reducing the number of pods and grains as well as the pod and grain size, respectively. Assessment of the productivity ofthe mixtures showed that the highest yield advantage (35%) of growing okra and maize together was obtained at 28000 okra plants ha' while the highest monetary return was realized at the highest okra planting density of 111000 plants ha ' intercropped between maize rows. The patterns of row arrangement did not have effect on the growth, yield and yield components of the mixtures.

Field plot studies were conducted on the effects of fertilizer rates and frequencies of cut on fluted pumpkin (Telfairia occidentatis) growth and yield parameters. Treatments comprised four levels of commercial N 20 P 10 K 10 and four cutting intervals. These were laid out in a randomized complete block design with three replications. The experiment was conducted at Nsukka which is located at Latitude 06 0 52'N, longitude 07 0 24't, and on altitude 447.2m above sea level. The site was characterized as tropical ultisol of sandy loam texture. Frequent harvests of 2-and 4-weekly intervals yielded significantly (P < 0.5) higher marketable vegetable yield (leaf and shoot), and produced greater number of branches than lax or infrequent harvest of 6-or 8-weekly interval. Vegetable yield was increased with incremental application of N 20 P 10 K 10 fertilizer rate. Marketable vegetable yield was best at 2-to 4-weekly interval of cut combinedwith 500 or 750 kg ha -1 of N 20 P 10 K 10 fertilizer rate. The 6-and 8-weekly intervals of cut significantly (P < 0.5) produced more pods than 2-or 4-weekly interval, but did not differ significantly from each other. A combination of 750 kg N 20 P 10 K 10 ha -1 with lax cutting of 8-weekly interval gave the highest number of pods and the greatest average weight of pods.

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