THE EFFECT OF NITROGEN AND PLANT DENSITY ON THE AGRONOMIC PERFORMANCE OF A SORGHUM HYBRID
THE EFFECT OF NITROGEN AND PLANT DENSITY ON THE AGRONOMIC PERFORMANCE OF A SORGHUM HYBRID
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Date
1987-11
Authors
BAMMEKE, MULIKAT OLUFUNKE
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Abstract
A field experiment was conducted at Samaru during the
1985 wet season with a view to determining the effect of
nitrogen fertilization and plant density on the agronomic
performance of sorghum hybrid SAMS0RG 31 (SSH5). The
treatments that were tested in the study involved the
factorial combinations of five nitrogen application rates
(0, 30, 60, 90 and 120kg N/ha) and three plant population
levels (34 000; 50 000 and 66 000 plants/ha).
Of all the parameters considered in the present study
stover yield, flag leaf area, number of leaves per plant
and stand count at harvest responded to nitrogen application.
However, grain quality in terms of grain crude protein
content Increased by about 21% when nitrogen application
rate was increased from 0 to 120 kg N/ha.
Increasing plant population from 34 000 to 50 000
plants/ha increased grain yield while a further increase
from 50 000 to 66 000 plants/ha decreased grain yield.
Increasing plant population from 34 000 to 50 000 and from
50 000 to 66 000 plants/ha decreased grain weight per plant
by 25.5 and 14.1%, respectively. Yield attributes such as
panicle length and grain number per panicle decreased with
increasing plant population. Variables which decreased
slightly with increase in plant population include,
thresing percentage, harvest index, grain: stover ratio,
stem diameter and number of internodes. Grain quality in
terms of per cent total nitrogen in the grain and crude
protein content decreased with increasing plant population.
Significant (P=0.05) nitrogen x population interactions were
observed in respect of grain weight per panicle, 1000-grain
weight, panicle length, flag leaf area, stover yield,
number of panicles per m , number of grains per panicle,
weight per panicle, panicle dry weight at 16 weeks after
planting (WAP) and plant total dry weight at 12 and 16 WAP.
Grain yield positively correlated with most of the important
yield components such as 1000-grain weight (r=0.662**),
number of grains per panicle (r = 0.702**), grain weight
per panicle (r - 0.736**), panicle yield (r = 0.975**),
and panicle weight (r = 0.290*).
Of the parameters considered, flag leaf area, stover
yield, leaf area index, number of leaves per plant and
count at harvest responded to significantly to nitrogen
application up to 120 kg N/ha on this soil. It, therefore,
implies that fertilizer recommendations for grain sorghum
may need to take into account the native soil nitrogen
Status i.e., soil test result as well as the preceding
crop(s) in the rotation. There was no significant response
to plant population up to 66 000 plants/ha.
Description
A thesis submitted to the Post-Graduate School,
Ahmadu Bello University, in partial fulfillment
of the requirements of the Degree of Master of
Science In Agronomy
Department of Agronomy
Faculty of Agriculture
Ahmadu Bello University
Zaria, Nigeria.
November 1987
Keywords
EFFECT,, NITROGEN,, PLANT,, DENSITY,, AGRONOMIC,, PERFORMANCE,, SORGHUM,, HYBRID.