INFLUENCE OF PHOSPHORUS FERTILIZER RATES AND PLANT SPACING ON GROWTH AND YIELD OF GROUNDNUT (Arachis hypogeae L.) IN BAUCHI STATE, NIGERIA
Isah, Y.; Sabo, M. U. & Shuaibu, Y. M.
Department of Crop Production, Faculty of Agriculture and Agricultural Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University Bauchi
Email: ymshuaibu@atbu.edu.ng
Corresponding author: Isah, Y
ABSTRACT:
A field experiment to study the influence of phosphorus fertilizer rates and plant spacing on the growth and yield of groundnut was conducted at Bauchi State University (Main Campus) Gadau teaching and research farm during 2018 and 2019 cropping seasons. The treatments comprised of four levels of phosphorus fertilizer (0, 30, 60 and 90 kg P2O5/ha) and three spacing (20cm x 60cm, 25cm x 60cm and 30cm x 60cm). These were factorially combined to give 12 treatments combination and laid out in a Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with three replications. The results of the experiment revealed a significant (P<0.01) difference among the treatments used throughout the study period. The result further indicated that, application of 90kg P2O5/ha significantly (P<0.01) recorded the highest plant height, number of leaves, leaf area, pod and grain yield than the other treatments used. However, all the treatments were better than the control. Spacing on the other hand, widest spacing (30cm x 60cm) significantly (P<0.01) gave the highest plant height, hundred seed and pod weight, shelling percentage and harvest index. The result also showed that, closest spacing (20cm x 60cm) recorded the highest yields per hectare with the highest grain yield of 1520.2 kg/ha and 1530.5 kg/ha in 2018 and 2019 seasons respectively. Based on the result of this findings, it can be concluded that, the use of 90kg/ha P2O5 and closest spacing (20cm x 60cm) significantly gave the highest yields per hectare and can be adopted by farmers for profitable groundnut production in the study area.
Key words: Groundnut, Growth, Phosphorus and Spacing.
