Abstract
A field trial was conducted in 2008 at the Institute for Agricultural Research farm at Samaru, to evaluate the phosphorus uptake, phosphorus use efficiency (PUE) and yield potentials, of five groundnut (Arachis hypogaea L.) genotypes (SAMNUT 10, 11, 21, 22 and 23). Four levels of phosphorus (0, 20, 40 and 60 kg P2O5 ha-1) were applied to each genotype in a randomized complete block design (RCBD ) with three replications. In addition to PUE indices, haulms and pod yields were also recorded. Among the genotypes evaluated, SAMNUT 23 recorded the highest total P uptake of 68.96 mg P kg-1 while SAMNUT 10 recorded the least (44.22 mg P kg-1). SAMNUT 23 also produced the highest (2,298 kg ha-1) dry pod yield. The highest PUE of 71.71 and 64.53% were recorded by SAMNUT 10 and 21 respectively, while SAMNUT 23 recorded the least (31.46%) PUE. The early or medium, maturing genotypes, SAMNUT 21 and 22, were observed to be better than both the extra-early, SAMNUT 23, and late-maturing SAMNUT 10 and 11, in terms of dry haulms yield. Therefore, SAMNUT 10 and 21 had greater adaptation for low soil P conditions than the other genotypes, and hence more suitable to resource-poor farmers. Key words: Groundnut genotypes, phosphorus, phosphorus use efficiency.
Highlights
Grain legumes are vital cropping system components of the Northern Guinea Savanna (NGS) of Nigeria (Yusuf et al, 2008; Chude et al, 2011), and when supplied with the required amounts of phosphorus (P), they can fix more than 250 kg N ha-1 (Vance, 2001; Ogoke et al, 2005)
SAMNUT 23 recorded the least phosphorus use efficiency (PUE) of 31.46%, whereas SAMNUT 11 and 22 were statistically not different (P>0.05), and each recorded the second highest PUE of 49.22 and 48.56 respectively (Figure 1)
The result, suggests that cropping system on this soil has to be carefully managed in order to avoid further decrease in pH and Ca which will tantamount to the need for an expensive liming (Chude et al, 2004), besides, low soil Ca will result in its low uptake by plants
Summary
Grain legumes are vital cropping system components of the Northern Guinea Savanna (NGS) of Nigeria (Yusuf et al, 2008; Chude et al, 2011), and when supplied with the required amounts of phosphorus (P), they can fix more than 250 kg N ha-1 (Vance, 2001; Ogoke et al, 2005) This amount, varies with crop and genotype (Takishima et al, 1989). Papilionaceae) and sub-family of the Papilionoidae (Raemaekers, 2001). It is grown throughout the tropics and some sub-tropical regions and on various soil types (Norman et al, 1995; Raemaekers, 2001; ICRISAT, 2012). Groundnut is considered by farmers to stabilize crop yields, as it is intercropped with some cereals, and serves as source of income and protein for their families
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