PERFORMANCE OF QUALITY PROTEIN MAIZE AT VARYING LEVELS OF NPK FERTILIZER AND PLANT DENSITY IN SAVANNA ZONES OF NIGERIA
PERFORMANCE OF QUALITY PROTEIN MAIZE AT VARYING LEVELS OF NPK FERTILIZER AND PLANT DENSITY IN SAVANNA ZONES OF NIGERIA
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Date
1999-03
Authors
HAMIDU, HASSAN ADAMU
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Abstract
Two field experiments were conducted at the Institute for
Agricultural Research Farms. The first trial was at Kadawa
during the 1997 dry season and the other at Samaru during the
1997 rainy season. Treatments, laid out in split plot design
consisted of three plant populations (26,700, 53,300 and
80,000 plants/ha), in sub plots; combination of four
fertilizer levels (0-0-0, 60-30-30, 120-60-60, 180-90-90 kg
NPK/ha) and two varieties of quality protein maize (Obatanpa
(0.P.V) and GH110-28 (Hyb) in main plot.
It was observed that 53,300 plants/ha produced
significantly higher grain yield, more stalk lodging, taller
plants, higher stover dry weight, anger number of grains/cob,
higher cob weight (kg/ha) and harvest index than 26,700
plants/ha (the lowest population) in both seasons. The highest
population produced statistically the highest leaf area index
and root lodging.
The application of 120-60-60kg NPK/ha produced
significantly higher grain yield (kg/ha) and cob weight
(kg/ha) than other rates except 180-90-90kg NPK/ha. The
fertilizer rate of 60-30-30kg NPK/ha) produced taller plants,
larger number of leaves/plant and higher leaf area index.
Significantly higher strove weight, weight of cobs/plant, 100-
seed weight and harvest index were produced by 120-60-60kg
NPK/ha in the rainy season. In the dry season the application
of 60-30-30kgNPK/ha gave significantly heavier strove weight,
weight of cobs/plant and 100-seed weight.
The control treatment (0-0-Okg NPK/ha) resulted in
significantly longer period to the attainment of 50 percent
tasseling and sulking. It also caused more stalk and root
lodging in both seasons.
GH110-28 (Hyb) was superior over Obatanpa (O.P.V) in
terms of grain yield, cob weight, took more number of days to
50 percent tasseling and sulking and higher number of
leaves/plant, 100-seed weight in the rainy season and higher
harvest index in the dry season. Obatanpa was superior to
GH110-28 (Hyb) in terms of plant height, leaf area index, dry
matter/plant, root and stalk lodging in both seasons
Description
A thesis submitted to the Postgraduate School, Ahmadu Bello
University, in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the
award of the Degree of Master of Science in Agronomy
DEPARTMENT OF AGRONOMY
FACULTY OF AGRICULTURE
AHMADU BELLO UNIVERSITY
ZARIA, NIGERIA
MARCH, 1999
Keywords
PERFORMANCE,, QUALITY, PROTEIN,, MAIZE,, VARYING,, LEVELS,, NPK FERTILIZER,, PLANT,, DENSITY,, SAVANNA, SAVANNA,, ZONES,, NIGERIA