Response of Maize (Zea mays L) Yield and Yield Components to Rates of Applied Phosphorus Fertilizer in the Guinea Savanna Soils of Kogi State, Nigeria

Crops respond differently to P-fertilizer treatments. The role of phosphorus in soils for sustainable crop production cannot be over emphasis. It has been observed that P after nitrogen is the most important macro nutrient limiting crop production in the tropics. Thus multi - location studies undertaken in Kogi State University, Anyigba, Kogi State, Nigeria in 2007 and 2008 cropping seasons assessed the response of maize crop to phosphorus additions. The experiment, a Randomized Complete Block Design with three replications had seven rates of P (0, 20, 40, 60, 80, 100 and 120kg ha-1) applied as Single Super Phosphate for P calibration studies. Maize agronomic traits and yields were subjected to statistical analysis and means found to be statistically significant (p<0.05) were compared using the Least Significant Difference (LSD). In this trial, application of P fertilizer irrespective of rates significantly increased plant height, number of leaves, leaf area, stem girth and grain yields in both locations. The magnitude of increases in all these parameters revealed that the application of 100 and 120kgP ha-1 compared favorably in both locations and significantly better than the control. Obtained data showed that in Anyigba soils, optimum maize yield of 5.40 and 5.51 ton/ha were obtained for 2007 and 2008 cropping season, from the application of 100 and 120kg P ha-1, respectively while in Ofere soils, optimum maize yield of 3.93 and 3.86 ton/ha were obtained for 2007 and 2008 cropping season, respectively from the application of 120kg P  ha-1. 100 and 120kg P ha-1 are recommended for maize cultivation in soils of Anyigba and Ofere, respectively based on better grain yields obtained with this treatments. Key words: Phosphorus, maize, agronomic traits, yield components and yiel

EFFECT OF CASHEW (ANACARDIUM OCCIDENTALE L) NUT SIZE ON NURSERY AND FIELD PERFORMANCE

Cashew germination and seedling vigour as influenced by the nut size was investigated in the nursery as well as on the field, using small, medium and large sized nuts categories. The study which was carried out at the Kogi State University, Anyigba Faculty of Agriculture (Longitude: 70 431 E, Latitude 70 61 N), in the Southern Guinea Savanna ecological zone, Nigeria investigated the response of varying cashew nut size (small 5.0 – 6.9 g/nut, medium 6.0 – 7.9 g/nut and large 8.0 – 9.9 g/nut) to seedling emergence, growth and development in the nursery, while seedlings which were sown out into the field in February, 2017 after been in the nursery for 6 months were investigated for field establishment, growth parameters, days to flowering and commencement of fruiting. The results obtained showed that small-sized nuts compared favourably with large-sized nuts, while superseding medium-sized nuts both in the nursery as well as on the field for most of the studied parameters in nursery as well as on the field. These nuts (small-sized) were not at any disadvantage in respect to their ability to germinate when compared with other sizes investigated. Instead they showed the highest average percentage germination in the nursery (100%), while large-sized nuts recorded the lowest average germination percentage (84.62%), as compared to the other treatments. This outcome reveals that contrary to previous deductions on small nuts, small small-sized nut did not negatively influence nut’s days to germination, total percentage germination, nor seedling establishment on the field though affected earliness. The superiority of larger nuts was however observed in the field (height, girth, earliness), regarding parameters studied. The goal of the grower should then determine the choice of nut size selected for planting, but uniformity among nuts should be maintained