Effect of Planting Dates on the Performance of Pigeonpea Varieties in Southern Guinea Savanna Ecology of Nigeria.

A field experiment was conducted for two years (May, 2011 to February, 2012 and May, 2012 to February, 2013) at the Teaching and Research Farm of the University of Agriculture, Makurdi. The objective of the study was to investigate the performance of some improved pigeonpea varieties planted at different dates with a view of selecting the optimal date(s) of planting for each of the varieties. The experiment comprised of thee  planting dates (25th day of each month of May, June and July) as main plot treatments and six pigeonpea varieties (ICPL332, ICPL87119, ICPL187-1, ICPL84060, ICPL88039 and a local check, var.’igbongbo’) as sub-plot treatments. The experiment was laid out as split plot in randomized complete block design with three replications. The plant height of all the varieties of pigeonpea tested decreased from May planting to July planting, except in ICPL88039, which had erratic response. Planting date x variety interaction effects on plant height, number of pods per plant, pod weight, grain and straw weight were significant, indicating the varieties performed better at different planting dates,e.g.,ICPL84060 and the local check performed better in May planting, while ICPL332 and ICPL187-1 gave higher yields in July planting. Keywords: Planting date, Variety, Pigeonpea, Makurd

Effect of Low Rates of Nitrogen and Phophorus Fertilizers on Growth and Yield of Intercropped Pigeonpea with Sorghum in Makurdi, Nigeria

Nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) are the most limiting nutrient elements in the soils of the tropics.  A field experiment was conducted at the Teaching and Research Farm of the University of Agriculture, Makurdi during the 2013 and 2014 cropping seasons to determine the influence of low rates of nitrogen and phosphorus fertilizers on the performance of pigeonpea intercropped with sorghum. The treatments comprised of two cropping systems (sole and intercropped pigeonpea with sorghum) in factorial combination with two nitrogen rates (10, 15 kg/ha), two phosphorus rates (20, 30 kg/ha) and N + P (N10P20, N10P30, N15P20, N15P30) and the check (N0P0) laid out in Randomized Block Design. The treatments were replicated three times. Results indicated that intercropping decreased pigeonpea nodule number and root weight at 50%flowering, dry pod and grain weights at harvest. The combinations of N and P fertilizers produced significantly higher nodule number, root weights, dry pod and grain weights of pigeonpea than either N or P alone in both cropping systems.  N10P30 produced significantly higher dry grain yield of pigeonpea than all other treatments, except N15P20 and N15P30. Sorghum grain yield was highest at N15. These results showed that low rates of N and P has potential for the production of intercropped pigeonpea with sorghum. The significant interaction between cropping systems and fertilizer indicated further research needs for intercropping systems as distinct from monoculture. Key words: nitrogen, phosphorus, pigeonpea, sorghum, intercrop