Effect of different fertilizer types on three millet crops grown in the humid tropics of Nigeria

Abstract

Northern Nigeria is predominantly known to produce millet due to the low rainfall associated with the climate. However, Changes in climatic factors over the years has resulted in the shift in crop production as some crops that were adaptable to the semi-arid regions become increasingly adaptable to tropical rainforest regions. Hence there is the need to study millet in the humid tropics of Nigeria. The objectives of the studies was to determine the performance of 3 millet types treated with different fertilizers types in the humid tropics of Nigeria. The experiment was conducted in the Department of Crop Science Screen-house situated at the Research and Teaching Farm of the Faculty of Agriculture, University of Benin, Benin City. The experiment was a 3 x 6 factorial set up in a completely randomized design which includes 3 millet crop types (Gero, Maiwa and Tamba) and 6 fertilizer types (Abuscular mycorrhiza (AM), Trichoderma hazianum (TH), NPK (15:15:15; 60 kg/ha), AM+NPK (15:15:15 at 30 kg/ha), TH+NPK and Control (C)). Growth and yield variables were measured every 3 weeks for 12 weeks and the data obtained were subjected to analysis of variance. Means were separated using Fishers-protected LSD at 5% level of probability. Millet types were significantly different with Gero and Maiwa having higher mean performance over Tamba millet. However, Gero millet was the only plant to attain flowering and subsequent grain yield during the period of the study. The fertilizer types were significant only on yield and yield components. Grain yield of Gero millet with TH+NPK had the highest yield (>100g plant-1) and wider grain diameter (>2.0 mm) than other fertilizer types. AM fertilized plants had the heaviest grain weight and was significantly heavier than the grains obtained from plants in control pots. Millet types can be grown in the humid tropics of Nigeria under controlled condition as observed in the study. They can grow vegetatively with little or no fertilizer, but the grain yield could be enhanced with Abuscular mycorrhiza and Trichoderma hazianum as biofertilizers in combination with NPK fertilizer. Application of this finding will reduce the amount of inorganic fertilizer that will be solely required for millet production by 50% and consequently promote environmental sustainability. Under controlled conditions, Gero millet can be cultivated for both forage and grains whereas Maiwa and Tamba millets could be cultivated for forage in the humid tropics of Nigeria.