Evaluating groundnut (<i>Arachis hypogaea</i> L.) performance due to genotype and phosphorus source on p-poor alfisols in two Nigerian agro-ecologies

Abstract

Legumes require substantial quantities of phosphorus (P) for effective growth and yield. Under deficient conditions, P fertilisation will improve these. Field experiments were conducted in 2016 cropping season, at two Nigerian agro-ecologies, to evaluate effects of genotype and P source on yield of groundnuts grown on P-poor soils. The experiments were conducted at two experimental sites of the Institute for Agricultural Research, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria (Minjibir and Samaru). The treatments consisted of 16 groundnut genotypes and three P sources. The P source was laid out in main- and genotype in sub-plot of a split plot design with four replicates. Data on pods, haulms and chlorophyll content (CC) were observed. There was no significant (P>0.05) difference between the genotypes in terms of pod yield, although higher pod yield was recorded at Samaru than Minjibir. SAMNUT 22 recorded the highest haulm yield (27.85 g plant-1) among all the genotypes, while SAMNUT 21 (18.57 g plant-1) and SAMNUT 24 (18.18 g plant-1), which were statistically similar, recorded the least haulm yield. Highest CC was recorded in SAMNUT 23 (40.39 mg plant-1), which was at par with ICGV-IS 07083 (39.06 mg plant-1) while Kwankwaso had the lowest (34.18 mg plant-1) CC. Higher CC and haulm yield were recorded at Minjibir than at Samaru. The P source significantly contributed to dry haulm (P<0.05) and pod (P<0.01) yields, but not in terms of CC (P>0.05).Keywords: Alfisols, genotype, haulm yield, Nigerian agro-ecologies, pod yield, P poor