RESPONSE OF COTTON CULTIVARS TO SOIL AND FOLIAR APPLIED FERTILIZER IN KABBA, KOGI STATE, NIGERIA

Abstract

The experiment was carried out at Kabba College of Agriculture experimental field in 2020 and 2021 cropping seasons to evaluate response of cotton cultivars to soil and foliar applied fertilizer. The experiment was performed in a randomized complete block design with two factors arranged in split plot arrangement in three replications. The first experimental factor was a cultivar, include two cotton varieties Hybrid and Lokoja local (abbreviated as C1 and C2) were used. The second experimental factor was the different nitrogen sources applied at five levels, NS1 = No Nitrogen source (control), NS2 = NPK (20:10:10 plus boron) fertilizer applied into soil alone = 80kg NPK & B, NS3 = NPK & B at 50% (40kg N) + Agric Zyme 50% (40 kg N), NS4 = NPK & B at 75% (60kg N) + Agric Zyme at 25% (20kg N) and NS5 = NPK & B at 25% (20kg N) + Agric Zyme at (60kg N). Data were collected on growth characters such as plant height, stem girth, number of leaves and leaf area fresh and dry weight of cotton. Yield characters observed were number of flowers per plant, cotton ball per plant, cotton yield per plant and cotton lint yield. All plots with NPK&B and Agric Zyme produce better growth and yield characters than the control. All plots with NPK&B alone or in combination with Agric Zyme at reduced level produced similar growth characters. Cotton with fertilizer application either singly or combined produced higher number of flowers and cotton balls compared to the control. Cotton grows through hybrid seeds gave more flowers and cotton balls more than Lokoja local seeds used. Cotton with fertilizer application were susceptible to pest attacked compared to cotton grow in the control plots. Cotton grows with the use of hybrid seed gave higher number of aborted flowers than the Lokoja local seed used. Though, cotton plant grows with NPK&B at 80 kg /ha gave the highest yield of cotton. All other plots with combined application of NPK&B and Agric Zyme produced yield comparable to plots with NPK&B at 80 kg /ha. Among cotton with combined application of NPK&B and Agric Zyme, plots treated with NPK & B at 25% (20kg N) + Agric Zyme at 75% (60kg N) gave the greatest yield. Cotton with hybrid seed produced cotton yield higher than the Lokoja local seed. The increment in hybrid cotton yield over Lokoja local seed is 58.52%. Cotton farmers in the study area should grow hybrid cotton using any of the treatment combinations especially NPK & B at 25% (20kg N) + Agric Zyme at 75% (60kg N).