Solution (source code)

= Solution

Let $\mathcal A$ be an <independent set> in the graph. Every member has size $p^2\equiv0\pmod p$, while for distinct $A,B\in\mathcal A$, independence means $|A\cap B|$ is nonzero modulo $p$. Apply part i with
$$
E=\mathbb F_p\setminus\{0\},
\qquad m=p-1.
$$
This gives
$$
\alpha(G)\leq\sum_{i=0}^{p-1}\binom{p^3}{i}.
$$
Moreover,
$$
\sum_{i=0}^{p-1}\binom{p^3}{i}
\leq p(p^3)^{p-1}=p^{3p-2}<p^{3p}.
$$