Original Research Article
Performance of Finger Millet (Eleusine corocana L. Gaertn) as Influenced by Nutrient Sources in the Southern and Northern Guinea Savanna, Nigeria
Tsado*, E. K. |
Jatau, D. B. |
Daniya, E. |
Article Number: DRJA98506732
DOI:
ISSN: 2354-4147
Vol.4 (7), pp. 182-192, July 2016
Copyright © 2016
Author(s) retain the copyright of this article
Abstract
Millets are major food and feed sources in the developing world especially in the semi-arid tropical regions of Africa and Asia. Millets are resilient to extreme environmental conditions especially to inadequate moisture and are rich in nutrients. Finger millet is a vital component in the farming systems of many parts of Nigeria. A multi-location trial was conducted at the Teaching and Research Farm of the Department of Crop Production, Federal University of Technology, Gidan Kwano Campus Minna and on the Nigeria Prison Farm, Kaduna located in the Southern and Northern Guinea Savanna Zone of Nigeria. The trial was conducted to evaluate the performance of finger millet (Eleusine corocana L. Gaertn) as influenced by nutrient sources in the 2013 wet season. The treatments consisted of 5 nutrient sources; recommended N:P:K fertilizer (100 kg N, 50 kg P2O5 and 50 kg K2O ha-1), poultry droppings (2 t/ha-1), cow dung (4.5 t/ha-1), horse dung (6.0 t/a-1) and a control. The treatments were laid out in a randomized complete block design with three replications. The application of recommended dose of inorganic fertilizer (100 kg N, 50 kg P2O5 and 50 kg K2O/ha) produced the longest leaves, tallest plants, widest leaves, highest leaf area index, longest internodes, shortest number of days to 50% heading, longest fingers, highest number of fingers, highest number of seeds, heaviest spikes and highest grain yield. Application of poultry droppings (2 t/ha-1) produced the heaviest seeds. Grain yield correlated positively and significantly with leaf length, internodes length plant height, leaf area index, number of fingers, length of fingers, seed weight compared with other growth and yield attributes. Finally, from the results, farmers in the Southern and Northern Guinea Savanna should be encouraged to grow finger millet with the application of the recommended dose of organic fertilizer for enhanced grain yield of finger millet.
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Received: May 5, 2016 Accepted: June 13, 2016 Published: June 18, 2016