INFLUENCE OF INCORPORATED LABLAB PLANTED AT VARIOUS SPACINGS ON PRODUCTIVITY OF MAIZE (ZEA MAYS L.) VARIETIES IN NORTHERN GUINEA SAVANNA ZONE OF NIGERIA

Aderemi Adesoji,Ibrahim Abubakar,Noah Oyebamiji

doi:10.33003/fjs-2020-0403-279

Abstract

The study was conducted to evaluate the effect of incorporated lablab planted at various spacings on productivity of two maize (Zea mays L.) varieties in northern Guinea Savanna zone of Nigeria. Field experiment was carried out at the Research Farm of the Institute for Agricultural Research, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Nigeria. The treatments consisted of two varieties of maize (SAMMAZ 28 and SAMMAZ 29) and six green manure lablab (Lablab purpureus) plant spacings viz. 25cm x 10cm, 25cm x 20cm, 25cm x 30cm, 50cm x 10cm, 50cm x 20cm and 50cm x 30cm. The experiment was laid out in a Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) in factorial arrangement and was replicated three times. SAMMAZ 29 performed significantly (P<0.05) better than SAMMAZ 28 on growth, yield components and grain yield (kg ha-1) of maize. Incorporation of lablab planted at various spacing significantly increased grain yield (kg ha-1) and all the maize parameters studied except cob diameter. In combined mean, incorporation of lablab planted at 25cm x 30cm significantly increased grain yield but at par with incorporation of lablab planted at spacing 50cm x 30cm. In combined mean, incorporation of lablab planted at 25cm x 30cm gave 18.2, 20.5, 18, 28.6 and 13.6% better grain yield than incorporation of lablab planted at spacings 25cm x 10cm, 25cm x 20cm, 50cm x10cm, 50cm x 20cm and 50cm x 30cm, respectively. Conclusively, incorporation of lablab planted at 25cm x 30cm was better than other spacings on SAMMAZ 29.

Highlights

The low fertility status of savanna soils in Nigeria makes crop production fertilizers dependent
Effect of variety significantly (P
In grain yield was produced with SAMMAZ 29 that was grown in combined mean, significant interaction between variety and plots that received the incorporation of lablab planted at 25cm x spacing showed that the highest cob yield was produced with 30cm and 50cm x 30cm, and SAMMAZ that was grown in SAMMZ which was grown in plots that received the plots that received the incorporation of lablab planted at 50cm x incorporation of lablab planted at 25cm x 30cm and lowest cob 20cm

Summary

Introduction

The low fertility status of savanna soils in Nigeria makes crop production fertilizers dependent. No worthwhile maize crop production can be achieved without input of fertilizers either as organic or inorganic because soils in Nigerian savanna are low in organic carbon, total nitrogen, available phosphorus, effective CEC and exchangeable cations plus clay and silt contents (Singh, 1987). The environmental and health challenges associated with use of inorganic fertilizer make it imperative to look for alternative way of producing maize with organic fertilizer inputs like green manure. Green manure is known to generate organic matter which has capacity to mitigate deleterious effects of mineral fertilizers, boost soil health and refresh environment for increased crop production for profitability and sustainability (Adesoji, 2015). Green manures are beneficial because of their fast growth ability, fixation of nitrogen, greater dry matter accumulation, embedded nutrient in their tissues and nutrient mineralization that enables crops to uptake more nutrients (Kamal et al, 2016)

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Conclusion