Effect of nitrogen and phosphorus levels on growth and grain yield of maize (Zea mays L.), Gezira State, Sudan

Maize (Zea mays L.)  is an annual, cross-pollinated warm weather crop. It is the world's third leading cereal crop after wheat and rice. Recently, maize gained more importance as a forage and food crop in the Sudan. The objective of this study was to determine the optimum level of nitrogen and phosphorus to maximize grain yield of maize. This study was conducted at the Experimental Farm, Faculty of Agricultural Sciences, University of Gezira, during the summer of 2017 and winter season of 2017/18. A randomized complete block design with four replicates was used. Four nitrogen levels, namely, 0, 43, 86 and 129 kg N/ha and two phosphorus levels, 0 and 43 P2O5 kg/ha were used. Results showed that nitrogen significantly increased plant height, leaf area index, days to 80% tasseling, number of grains/ear and grain yield in both seasons. Nitrogen levels had a significant effect on days to 80% silking in the winter season only. Phosphorus had no significant effect on most of the parameters measured in this study. The interaction between nitrogen and phosphorus levels had a significant effect on plant height, days to 80% silking, number of grains/ear and 100 - grain weight in the winter season only. The results revealed that the interaction between N and P levels had a significant effect on grain yield in both seasons. The highest grain yield (3825 and 4401 kg/ha) was obtained by the application of 129 and 86 kg N/ha in the summer and winter seasons, respectively. To obtain high grain yield of maize, it is recommended to apply 129 and 86 kg N / ha in the summer and winter seasons, respectively, without phosphorus application.   الذرة الشامية محصول حولي، خلطي التلقيح ومن محاصيل الجو الدافئ. الذرة الشامية ثالث أهم محاصيل الحبوب في العالم بعد القمح والأرز. حديثاً اكتسب الذرة الشامية أهمية كبيرة كمحصول غذاء وعلف في السودان. تهدف هذه الدراسة لتحديد تأثير مستويات النتروجين والفسفور على نمو وإنتاجية حبوب الذرة الشامية. نفذت الدراسة في المزرعة التجريبية كلية العلوم الزراعية, جامعة الجزيرة، وادمدني، السودان خلال موسمي صيف 2017 وشتاء 2017/18. تم استخدام نظام القطاعات العشوائية الكاملة بأربع مكررات. اشتمل النتروجين على 4 معاملات (0, 43, 86, 129 كجم نتروجين/هكتار) والفسفور معاملتان (0, 43 كجم خامس أكسيد الفسفور/هكتار). أظهرت النتائج أن إضافة النتروجين أدت إلى زيادة معنوية في طول النبات ودليل مساحة الورقة وعدد الايام 80% زهرة مذكرة وعدد الحبوب في الكوز وانتاجية الحبوب في الموسمين. كما أن إضافة النتروجين كان لها تأثيراً معنوياً على عدد الايام 80% زهرة مؤنثة  خلال الموسم الشتوي فقط. لم يكن لإضافة الفسفور أي تأثير معنوي علي معظم المؤشرات التي تمت دراستها. التداخل بين مستويات النتروجين والفسفور كان لها  تأثيراً معنوياً على طول النبات وعدد الايام   80% زهرة مؤنثة وعدد الحبوب في الكوز ووزن 100 حبة في فصل الشتاء فقط. أظهرت النتائج أن التداخل بين مستويات النتروجين والفسفور كان له تأثيراً معنوياً على إنتاجية الحبوب خلال الموسمين، أعلى انتاجية (3825 و 4401 كجم/هكتار) تحققت عند إضافة 129 و 86 كجم/هكتار  في الصيف والشتاء على التوالي. لتحقيق إنتاجية عالية من حبوب الذرة الشامية توصى الدراسة بإضافة 129 و 86 كجم نتروجين/هكتار في موسمي الصيف والشتاء على التوالي بدون إضافة الفسفور. &nbsp

Effect of Nitrophoska® and irrigation interval on root and sugar yield of sugar beet (Beta vulgaris L.), Gezira State, Sudan

Sugar beet is one of the promising crops in the Sudan due to its high root, sugar yield and by-products as an industrial crop. The crop is also a promising alternative energy crop for the production of ethanol. An experiment was conducted at the experimental Farm of the Faculty of Agricultural Sciences, University of Gezira, Wad Medani, Sudan, during seasons 2012/13 and 2013/14. The objective was to investigate the effects of irrigation intervals (7, 14 and 21 days) and Nitrophoska (NPK compound fertilizer) rates (0, 100, 150 and 200 kg/ha) on root and sugar yield of sugar beet (Ballade cultivar) under Gezira conditions. Split-plot design with three replicates was used. Irrigation intervals were allotted to the main plots and Nitrophoska rates to the subplots. Results showed that shortening irrigation intervals from 21 to 14 and 7 days increased root diameter, root weight and root and sugar yields in both seasons. In addition, Nitrophoska rate of 150 kg/ha substantially improved most of the studied root characters and sugar yield in both seasons. Depending on the results of this study, to obtain high root and sugar yields from sugar beet Ballade cultivar, it could be recommended  to apply 150 kg/ha of  Nitrophoska  and  irrigate every 7 to14 days.   بنجر السكر من المحاصيل الواعدة في السودان وذلك نسبة لإنتاجيته العالية من الجذور والسكر ومنتجاته كمحصول صناعي. بنجر السكر من محاصيل الطاقة البديلة الواعدة لإنتاج الإيثانول. أجريت التجربة في المزرعة التجريبية، كلية العلوم الزراعية، جامعة الجزيرة، وادمدني، السودان في الموسمين 2012/ 13 و 2013/14م على التوالي. الهدف من التجربة هو دراسة تأثير فترات الري (7 و14 و21 يوم) ومعدلات سماد النيتروفوسكا المركب (0 و100 و150 و200 كجم للهكتار) على إنتاجية الجذور والسكر لبنجر السكر (صنف بلدي) تحت ظروف الجزيرة. تم إستخدام تصميم القطع المنشقة بثلاث تكرارات. أوضحت النتائج أن تقليل فترات الري من 21 الي 14 و7 زاد قطر الجذر ووزن الجذر وإنتاجية الجذور والسكر في كلا الموسمين. زيادة معدلات سماد النيتروفوسكا المركب من 0 الى أكثر 150 كجم للهكتار حسن بشكل كبير أغلب الصفات المدروسة للجذر وإنتاجية السكر في كلا الموسمين. إعتماداً على نتائج هذه الدراسة للحصول على أعلى إنتاجية من الجذور والسكر لمحصول بنجر السكر نوصي بإضافة سماد النيتروفوسكا بمعدل 150 كجم/هكتار على أن يروى المحصول كل 7 إلى 14 يو

Influence of Some Innovation Attributes on the Adoption of Growing Sunflower in Rahad Scheme

The vital economic importance of sunflower as one of the oil crops encouraged its introduction to the Sudan in the last twenty years. The production of sunflower crop began in Rahad scheme, as in other irrigated areas in the country, in 1992/93 growing season. Field survey was used to collect data from 100 sunflower growers (adopters) in Rahad Scheme (block 10) in 2002/2003 growing season selected from a total population of 1000-1100 farmers by using the simple random sample technique. An equal number of non-adopters was selected for comparison. The total number of interviewed farmers was 200. The collected data was statistically analyzed using the chi-square test. The results showed significant association (dependency) between adoption of growing sunflower (the innovation) and some of its attributes: Relative advantage on perceived production cost and income, compatibility with farmers need as cash crop and animal feed, complexity associated with use of technical package for sunflower. From the findings of this study, we can conclude that the adoption of this crop was dependent on some innovation attributes and the results were expected to reveal factors influencing adoption of the crop. The authors recommend that more attention should be given by agronomists to this crop in order to improve the yield of the crop and extension services should design special programs for the crop to promote its rate of adoption

Forage yield potential of Sudan grass-cowpea irrigated mixtures in central Sudan

     The study was conducted at the Gezira University Farm, Wad Medani, Sudan, during the winter of 1998 and autumn of 1999 to investigate the effects of nine cropping systems, two rates of nitrogen and two harvesting dates on the quantity and quality of the forage produced by Sudan grass-cowpea mixtures. In both seasons, Sudan grass in around two months from sowing while cowpea flowered in about one month. Black seeded Sudan grass variety (SG2) outperformed the light brown seeded Sudan grass variety (SGI). The autumn forage yields were higher than those of winter. Mixing increased the per plant growth parameters of both crops and across seasons. In winter, the fresh forage yield of pure cowpea and the highest yielding mixture (40 SG2 + 20 CP) were comparable (averaging 6.6 t/ha), while in autumn, the highest yielding crop mixture was 30 SG2 + 30 CP (19.01 t/ha) which is not siB1ificantly different from that of pure SG2 (19.08 t/ha). The land equivalent ratio (LER) values exceeded 1.00, in both seasons, showing a clear advantage of mixtures over monocultures. The addition of 44 kg N/ha significantly increased the growth parameters and forage yield of sole Sudan grass and its mixtures with cowpea but not that of pure cowpea. Harvesting at 60 days from sowing appreciably increased growth parameters, fresh forage yield and quality of forage produced by all seeding combinations. Mixing showed significant effects on crude protein percentage, crude fibre percentage, total crude protein and total crude fibre

Effects of mixed cropping with cowpea and nitrogen source on growth and yield of sunflower (Helianthus annuus L.)

Field experiments were conducted during winter (2011/12) and summer (2012/13) seasons. The objective of the study was to examine the effects of mixed cropping with cowpea, nitrogen and chicken manure on growth and yield of sunflower. Randomized complete block design with four replicates was used. The experiment comprised 8 treatments; two sunflower cultivars namely, Hysun33 and Damazin-1, and three nitrogen sources viz: mixed cropping with cowpea, urea (43kgN/ha), chicken manure (5t/ha) plus control. Results showed that the two cultivars were significantly different in plant height, days to 50% flowering, 1000-seed weight and empty seed percentage in both seasons. Hysun33 had taller plants, late to flower, heavier seeds and lower empty seeds percentage than Damazin-1. They were also significantly different in LAI, head diameter, number of filled seeds/ head and total yield in the summer season only. Fertilizers significantly influenced plant height and stem diameter in both seasons. In the winter season, however, fertilizers had significantly affected LAI, days to 50% flowering, head diameter, number of filled seeds/head and total yield. Chicken manure resulted in the tallest plants and largest stem diameter in both seasons. Chicken manure expressed the largest LAI, biggest head diameter, highest number of filled seeds/head and highest total yield. The three-way interaction(seasonx fertilizerx cultivar) showed significant effects on percentage of empty seeds and total yield. The highest total yield was obtained by Hysun33 in the summer season when chicken manure was applied. The mean total yield of the summer season was higher than that of the winter season. To obtain high total yield of sunflower, it is recommended that sowing should be commenced during the summer season and chicken manure should be applied at the rate of 5 t/ha for both Hysun33 and Damazin-