Screen house experiments were conducted at the Institute of Agricultural Research and Training, Ibadan, on a sandy loam soil in two years, to assess the effect of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus (Glomus clarum) and compost (sunflower) on the growth and yield of tomato plants. The experimental design was laid out in a Complete Randomized Design (CRD) with nine treatments replicated three times. Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) and Compost (CMP) were applied into 8 kg soil each at the levels of 2.5, 5.0, 7.5 and 10 tonnes/ha each (2.5 g, 5.0 g, 7.5 g and 10 g respectively), while the control had 0 tonnes /ha (0 g). Results showed that plants treated with 5.0 tonnes/ha AMF produced highest cumulative weight of harvested fruits per plant and number of fruits per plant which were significantly higher (P<0.05) than other treatments. Application of 2.5 tonnes/ha CMP significantly (P<0.05) produced the highest number of tomato leaves per plant, while the highest number of flowers per plant was significantly higher for 7.5 tonnes/ha CMP. The tallest plants and plants with highest number of branches were also recorded for 5.0 tonnes/ha AMF. This study showed that 5.0 tonnes/ha is the optimum level of AMF required for the cultivation of tomato plant which could have arisen from optimum uptake of phosphorus in the soil.Keywords: Compost, Glomus clarum, fertility, tomato, yield

Screen house experiments were conducted at the Institute of Agricultural Research and Training, Ibadan, on a sandy loam soil in two years, to assess the effect of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus ( Glomus clarum ) and compost (sunflower) on the growth and yield of tomato plants. The experimental design was laid out in a Complete Randomized Design (CRD) with nine treatments replicated three times. Arbuscular mycorrhizal fungi (AMF) and Compost (CMP) were applied into 8 kg soil each at the levels of 2.5, 5.0, 7.5 and 10 tonnes/ha each (2.5 g, 5.0 g, 7.5 g and 10 g respectively), while the control had 0 tonnes /ha (0 g). Results showed that plants treated with 5.0 tonnes/ha AMF produced highest cumulative weight of harvested fruits per plant and number of fruits per plant which were significantly higher (Pu003c0.05) than other treatments. Application of 2.5 tonnes/ha CMP significantly (Pu003c0.05) produced the highest number of tomato leaves per plant, while the highest number of flowers per plant was significantly higher for 7.5 tonnes/ha CMP. The tallest plants and plants with highest number of branches were also recorded for 5.0 tonnes/ha AMF. This study showed that 5.0 tonnes/ha is the optimum level of AMF required for the cultivation of tomato plant which could have arisen from optimum uptake of phosphorus in the soil. Keywords : Compost, Glomus clarum, fertility, tomato, yield

The field experiment was conducted in the Department of Botany, University of Ibadan, Nigeria between September to December 2012. Four accessions of pepper (Capsicum spp.), obtained from Moor plantation in Ibadan and LUTH (Lagos University Teaching Hospital) vegetable garden, Idi-Araba Lagos were evaluated to investigate the morpho-agronomic variability and interaction of accession × treatment × days after transplant in treatment combinations of arbuscular mycorrhizal fungus (Glomus clarum) and cowdung. The experiment was a 4 × 4 factorial arrangement laid out in a randomized complete block design with three replications. The combined analysis of variance showed significant accession, treatment, days after transplant, and accession × treatment interactive effect for most of the growth characters at P 0.01 and P 0.05. The result also showed significant difference in yield related traits of fruits for pepper accessions. The number of leaves per plant was significant and positively associated with plant height (r = 0.516; P 0.05), and highly significant and positively correlated with the number of branches (r = 0.836; P 0.01), but negative and non-significantly related with stem girth. Glomus clarum treated plants responded significantly with higher growth and yield. It suggested that G. clarum treatment had higher potential in influencing crop yield compared to cowdung and untreated plants. This study further explored the relationship between G.

The effect of five nutrient (fertilizer) sources on garlic (Allium sativum L.) grown under irrigation in Bauchi state was in vestigated. Irrigation was scheduled at 25% management allowable deficit, giving an irrigation interval of 4 days and gross application depth of 56 mm of water per application. The nutrient sources were NPK fertilizer (15:15:15), wood ash, poultry manure, and fermented cow dung slurry, while the control was zero fertilization. The composition of crop samples grown under application of the various fertilizers was assessed in the laboratory following recommended analytical procedures. Pungency level was taken as a measure of the bulb sulphur content. Results of the study indicate that NPK has the effect of significantly increasing (p ≤ 0.01) the bulb moisturecontent and crude protein level of irrigated garlic, while causing significant reduction (p ≤ 0.01) in the pungency of the crop relative to the control. The organic fertilizers (wood ash, poultry manure, and fermented slurry) yielded crops having relatively higher pungency with wood ash giving thehighest pungency strength. The mineral contents of the crops grown with organic fertilization were equally higher than those from the control and those grown with NPK. Furthermore, the crops produced with organic fertilizers had relatively lower moisture content. Results of this studydemonstrate that organic fertilizers would give better quality garlic with higher pungency than the widely used NPK fertilizer and no fertilizer application.

No Abstract.International Journal of Tropical Agriculture and Food Systems Vol. 2 (1) 2008: pp. 54-59

A low-cost, low-tech continuous flow drip irrigation system was constructed and tested in Bauchi. The measured hydraulic performance parameters were analysed using computer based regression, correlation and path analyses. Results showed that the total flow energy of the system is most sensitive to variations in pressure energy. Without flow regulation, fluctuation in the system discharge is influenced largely by plugging and hydraulic design parameters. However, flow regulation using ‘Medi emitter’ cushions discharge variations caused by hydraulic design. This leaves variation due to plugging as the sole source of discharge fluctuation with the system. A set of regression equations is equally provided for speedy design and evaluation of similar drip systems under same operating conditions. The set of regression equations in particular, includes a systems specific form of the Bernoulli’s Equation that may be used for computations of flow energy requirements. Inferences from the regression analysis revealed that the maximum practicable lateral length of the continuous-flow drip system is 4.6 m.

Current global concerns on attainment of food security and poverty alleviation require new strategies with marked potential for water conservation and yield increase. This informed the design of an affordable continuous-flow drip irrigation system that applies the exact peak crop water requirement continuously throughout the 24h of a day, and so maintains the crop root zone near field capacity all through the growth season. The design continuous-flow rate was nine drops of water per minute (0.03l/h) for tomato used as test crop. The system was constructed from inexpensive off-the-shelf components, incorporating the medical infusion set as emitter. The drip system was evaluated in Bauchi State, Nigeria during the 2003/2004 and 2004/2005 irrigation seasons under four continuous-flow rates of 0.03, 0.05, 0.06, and 0.07l/h against a bi-daily application as the control. The recorded yields were 42.9, 42.6, 44.4, and 44.4t/ha, respectively for the four treatments and 22.3t/ha from the control. The associated Water Use Efficiencies were 15.5×10−2, 10.7×10−2, 8.5×10−2, and 6.4×10−2t/hamm in same order for the four discharges, while that of the control was 10.1×10−2t/hamm. The continuous-flow drip schedule offered water savings of about 42.3 and 15.7% at 0.03 and 0.05l/h, respectively over short level impoundment furrow irrigation widely used by resource-poor farmers in Nigeria. However, at the higher discharges of 0.06 and 0.07l/h, the system rather applied 10.1 and 32.2% additional water over furrow irrigation. Results of this study summarily demonstrate promising prospects of the affordable continuous-flow drip irrigation system in delivering high crop yields especially if the crops are grown under appropriate agronomic practices that enable protraction of the growth season. The recommended range of continuous dripping for tomato is 0.03–0.05l/h.

Yield data obtained from the response of intercropped millet to some agronomic practices were correlated and path coefficients computed. The yield of intercropped millet was found to be strongly correlated with the yield components. There was a highly significant correlation (P = 0.01) between number of panicles per plant and panicle weight, between number of panicles per plant and 1000-grain weight as well as between panicle weight and 1000-grain weight in both years. Yield analysis indicated that the direct contributions of number of panicles per plant and panicle weight were the main yield contribution factors in 2001 and 2002, respectively. Thus, the total contributions (direct and indirect) were found to be 53.20% and 99.90% in 2001 and 2002, respectively. International Journal of Natural and Applied Sciences Vol. 2 (4) 2006: pp. 350-355

Yield and yield components data obtained from the response of inter cropped cowpea to some agronomic practices were correlated and path coefficients computed. The result revealed that cowpea yield was strongly correlated with 100-seed weight, number of pods per plant and number of seeds per pod. Within the yield components, there was a highly significant correlation (P = 0.01) between 100 seed weight and number of seeds per pod as well as between number of pods per plant and number of seeds per pod. Yield analyses indicated that the direct contribution of number of pods per plant and 100-seed weight were the main yield contributing factors in both years. The combined contribution of 100-seed weight and number of seeds per pod was however highest in both years. The total contributions (direct and combined) were found to be 96.30% and 53.80% in 2001 and 2002 seasons, respectively. International Journal of Natural and Applied Sciences Vol. 2 (4) 2006: pp. 310-316

Growth and yield data obtained from the response of roselle to some agronomic practices were correlated and regressed. Red variant roselle calyx yield was found to be very strongly correlated with growth parameters such as canopy diameter, number of branches per plant and number of leaves per plant. Within the yield components, there was a highly significant correlation (P ≤ 0.01) between calyx weight per ha and number of calyces per plant as well as seed weight per ha. Yield analysis indicated that the direct contribution of canopy diameter and number of branches per plant were the main yield contributing factors in 1999, while canopy diameter and number of leaves per plant were the main yield contributing factors in 2000. The total contributions (direct and combined) were found to be 56.61% and 36.87% in 1999 and 2000, respectively. Regression analysis showed that yield and yield components in roselle cultivation were mainly determined by the agronomic practices such as sowing dates, intra-row spacings and nitrogen levels.

Field experiments were conducted during the rainy seasons (June - Odober) of 1999 and 2000, at the research farm of Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, Bauchi, Nigeria to study the effects of some agronomic practices on the growth and yield of roselle. Three agronomic practices (sowing dates, intra-row spacing and nitrogenous fertilizer levels) at three levels each, were factorially combined to give a total of 27 treatment combinations. These were laid out in a randomized complete block design with three replications. Most of the results obtained were highly significant (P50.01). Sowing dates (June) gave the highest mean calyx (2035.15 kg/ha) and seed (2391.19 kg/ha) yields in both years. Intra-row spacing (80 em) gave the highest mean calyx (1651.11 kg/ha) and seed (2024.40 kg/ha) yields. Also, application of 60 kg N/ha gave the highest mean calyx (1671.99 kg/ha) and seed (2067.36 kg/ha) yields. It is evident from the results of this experiment that, the earlier the sowing of dates, the wider the intra-row spacing and the higher the nitrogenous fertilizer level, the higher the productivity of red variant roselle. Sequel to these facts, roselle sown in June at intra-row spacing of 80 em should be applied with 60 kg N / ha for optimum productivity in the study area.

Field trials were conducted during the 1999 and 2000 rainy seasons on the influence of weeding regimes and spacings on the growth and yield of red variant roselle. The treatments, which consisted of four weeding regimes and two spacings, were factorially combined to give eight treatment combinations. These were laid out in a randomized complete block design with four replications. Most of the growth parameters were not significantly different but the yield and yield-related components were significant (P= 0.01). However, it was obvious that: (a) closer spacing (60 x 40 cm) increased fibre yield by 51.7% when compared with wider spacing (60 x 80 cm); (b) the higher the weeding regimes, the lower the weed biomass and vice versa; and (c) the higher the weeding regime, the higher the plant biomass, fibre, pulp, calyx and seed yield. For optimality in production of red variant roselle, a wide spacing of about 60 x 80 cm, as well as two to three weeding regimes are recommended.