Abstract
Field experiment was conducted during 1993-94 season to determine the pattern of nutrient uptake and productivity of maize/sweet potato intercropping system. Four levels of nitrogen (0, 50, 100 and 150kg N ${ha}_{-1}$) and four levels of potassium (0, 40, 80 and 120kg $K_2$O ${ha}_{-1}$) formed treatment variables. Plants were sampled periodically to determine dry matter and tissue concentrations of N and K in the individual plant components of intercropped maize and sweet potato. Nitrogen and potassium fertilizer did not interact significantly to nutrient uptake by any plant parts of intercropped maize and sweet potato. But application of N fertilizer independently enhanced N uptake in all the plant parts of maize and sweet potato. The uptake of N in leaf, leaf sheath, stem, husk, and cob of maize increased upto 90 days after planting (DAP) but grain continued to accumulate N till its maturity. Sweet potato exhibited a wide variation in N uptake pattern. Sweet potato leaf shared the maximum uptake of N at 50 DAP which rapidly increased at 70 DAP and then declined. Declination of N uptake by petiole and stem were observed after 120 DAP whereas N uptake by tuber increased slowly upto 90 DAP and then rapidly till harvest. Rate of applied K had very little effect on the uptake patterns in different components of intercropped maize. Pattern of K uptake by leaf, petiole and stem of sweet potato showed almost similar trend to N uptake. But uptake of K by tuber increased almost linearly with the K application. Pattern of N and K uptake by grain and tuber paralleled the grain yield of maize and sweet potato respectively. Intercropped productivity of maize and sweet potato found to be better by the application of 100kg N and 120 kg $K_2$O ${ha}_{-1}$