Intercropping is a major production strategy in the tropics. Sesame (Sesamum indicum L.) and sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.) are two resilient oilseed crops of high economic potential with contrasting growth and morphological characteristics, which may make them suitable candidates for intercropping. Two field trials were conducted during the late cropping season (July–November) of 2018 and 2019 at Abeokuta, Nigeria, to evaluate the effects of organic fertiliser application and varying the introduction date of sunflower into sesame fields on intercrop productivity and efficiency. Sunflower was sown at 0, 10 and 20 days after sowing (DAS) of two varieties of sesame. On average, mixtures that involved either sesame variety with sunflower interplanted at 0 or 10 DAS plus fertiliser application showed a high land-equivalent ratio of >1.00 (biological efficiency), high land-equivalent coefficient of >0.25 (intercrop compatibility), and high economic efficiency in terms of monetary advantage index and sesame yield equivalent. Weight of sesame capsules per plant increased significantly (P < 0.05) following application of organic fertiliser in both years. Similarly, aboveground plant weight of sesame was significantly (P < 0.05) enhanced irrespective of the date of introducing sunflower into sesame fields in both years. Sesame grain yield (543.4–636.5 kg/ha) during the wetter late season of 2019 compared favourably with mean values from Africa (473.5 kg/ha) and the world (512.3 kg/ha). Organic fertiliser application significantly (P < 0.05) enhanced sesame grain yield in both years. Delaying introduction of sunflower until 20 DAS of sesame resulted in significantly (P < 0.05) lower sunflower head weight and achene weight per head and depressed sunflower grain yield in both years. Therefore, mixtures of both sesame varieties with sunflower introduced at 0 or 10 DAS and with organic fertiliser applied achieved high intercrop productivity and land-use efficiency, and are hereby recommended for cultivation under humid tropical conditions.

间作是热带地区的主要生产策略。芝麻（Sesamum indicum L.）和向日葵（Helianthus annuusL.）是两种具有高经济潜力的回弹油料作物，具有相反的生长和形态特征，这可能使其适合作间作作物。在2018年和2019年播种的后期（7月至11月），在尼日利亚的Abeokuta进行了两次田间试验，以评估有机肥料的施用效果，并改变向日葵在芝麻田中的导入日期对农作物间生产力和效率的影响。两种芝麻播种（DAS）后第0、10和20天播种向日葵。平均而言，在0或10 DAS下种植的涉及芝麻和向日葵的混合物，再加上肥料，其土地当量比> 1.00（生物效率），土地当量系数> 0.25（间作相容性），货币优势指数和芝麻当量当量方面具有很高的经济效率。每棵植物的芝麻胶囊重量显着增加（P <0.05）两年中均施用有机肥。同样，无论两年中将向日葵引入芝麻田的日期如何，芝麻的地上植物重量均显着提高（P <0.05）。2019年较湿润的后期，芝麻产量（543.4-636.5千克/公顷）优于非洲（473.5千克/公顷）和世界（512.3千克/公顷）的平均值。两年中，有机肥的施用显着（P <0.05）提高了芝麻籽粒的产量。推迟引进向日葵直到芝麻的DAS达到20 DAS时（P<0.05）两年均降低了向日葵头重和人均瘦果重，向日葵籽粒产量下降。因此，两种芝麻品种与0或10 DAS引入的向日葵以及有机肥的混合物均能实现较高的间作生产力和土地利用效率，因此建议在潮湿的热带条件下种植。