Abstract:
Two field experiments were conducted at the Institute for Agricultural Research Farms. The first trial was at Kadawa during the 1997 dry season and the other at Samaru during the 1997 rainy season. Treatments, laid out in split plot design consisted of three plant populations (26,700, 53,300 and 80,000 plants/ha), in sub plots; combination of four fertilizer levels (0-0-0, 60-30-30, 120-60-60, 180-90-90 kg NPK/ha) and two varieties of quality protein maize (Obatanpa (0.P.V) and GH110-28 (Hyb) in main plot. It was observed that 53,300 plants/ha produced significantly higher grain yield, more stalk lodging, taller plants, higher stover dry weight, anger number of grains/cob, higher cob weight (kg/ha) and harvest index than 26,700 plants/ha (the lowest population) in both seasons. The highest population produced statistically the highest leaf area index and root lodging. The application of 120-60-60kg NPK/ha produced significantly higher grain yield (kg/ha) and cob weight (kg/ha) than other rates except 180-90-90kg NPK/ha. The fertilizer rate of 60-30-30kg NPK/ha) produced taller plants, larger number of leaves/plant and higher leaf area index. Significantly higher strove weight, weight of cobs/plant, 100- seed weight and harvest index were produced by 120-60-60kg NPK/ha in the rainy season. In the dry season the application of 60-30-30kgNPK/ha gave significantly heavier strove weight, weight of cobs/plant and 100-seed weight. The control treatment (0-0-Okg NPK/ha) resulted in significantly longer period to the attainment of 50 percent tasseling and sulking. It also caused more stalk and root lodging in both seasons. GH110-28 (Hyb) was superior over Obatanpa (O.P.V) in terms of grain yield, cob weight, took more number of days to 50 percent tasseling and sulking and higher number of leaves/plant, 100-seed weight in the rainy season and higher harvest index in the dry season. Obatanpa was superior to GH110-28 (Hyb) in terms of plant height, leaf area index, dry matter/plant, root and stalk lodging in both seasons
PERFORMANCE OF QUALITY PROTEIN MAIZE AT VARYING LEVELS OF NPK FERTILIZER AND PLANT DENSITY IN SAVANNA ZONES OF NIGERIA
