EFFECT OF PHOSPHORUS AND PLANT DENSITY ON THE GROWTH, YIELD AND PROTEIN CONTENT OF GREEN GRAM (Vigna radiata (L) Wilczek)
EFFECT OF PHOSPHORUS AND PLANT DENSITY ON THE GROWTH, YIELD AND PROTEIN CONTENT OF GREEN GRAM (Vigna radiata (L) Wilczek)
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Date
1997-03
Authors
MAHMUD, MUKHTARI
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Abstract
Investigations to study the effect of phosphorus and plant
density on the growth, yield and protein content of green gram
(Vigna radiata (L) Wilczek) were curried out at the Institute for
Agricultural Research farm, Samaru (1111 N ;07,38 N E, 686m above sea
level) Zaria during the rainy season of 1993 to 1995. The
treatments consisted of five green gram varieties (Galadima, VC
2768A, VC1178A, VC2778A and VC 1973A); three plant densities
(200,000; 400,000 and 600,000 plants/ha) and three levels of
phosphorus (0.25 and 50kgP/ha) arranged in a split plot design in
which varieties and plant densities well assigned to the main plot
and phosphorus levels were placed in subplot. The treatments were
replicated three times.
The results showed that variety Galadima was superior to all
other varieties for the growth characters studied, while variety VC
1178A was superior to other varieties in terms of yield character
investigated with the exception of numbers of days to 50%
flowering, pod length, pod width, number of pods/plant and number
of seeds/plant. Variety VC 2778A had higher grain crude protein
than other varieties.
Increasing plant density from 200,000 to 600,000 plants/ha
decreased most of the parameters except LAI, NAR, RGR, pod
weight/ha and grain yield/ha which were increased. The grain crude
protein content was reduced with increased density up to 400,000
plants/ha.
Growth characters as well as yield characters and grain crude
protein contents were significantly increased with increasing
phosphorus rates from 0 to 50kgP/ha.
Correlation analysis showed positive and significant
associations between yield and most of the parameters studied.
Indirect contribution of most characters was greatest through total
dry matters and 1000-grain weight. Plant height and 1000-grain
weight make the highest individual contributions to yield; while
the combinations of plant height and total dry matter; and number
of seed/pod and 1000-grain weight were the highest contributors to
yield.
Polynomial responses of grain yield to density and phosphorus
were linear and guadratic respectively. Using the regression
constant, optimum level of phosphorus was found to be 23.43kgP/ha.
Description
A dissertation Submitted to the Postgraduate School, Ahmadu Bello
University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the
degree of Doctor of Philosophy in Agronomy.
DEPARTMENT OF AGRONOMY
FACULTY OF AGRICULTURE
AHMADU BELLO UNIVERSITY
ZARIA, NIGERIA
MARCH, 1997
Keywords
PHOSPHORUS,, PLANT DENSITY,, GROWTH, YIELD,, GREEN GRAM, (Vigna radiata (L) Wilczek)