EFFECT OF SOIL MANAGEMENT ON THE YIELD AND SOME YIELD COMPONENTS OF MAIZE AT MOKWA IN THE DERIVED SAVANNAH ECOTONE OF NIGERIA.
A. UMAR, L.T. OGUNREMI.
Abstract
High evapotranspiration rates, low, erratic rainfall
and sandy texture of soils are the constraints to increased maize production
in the derived savannah zone of Nigeria. Soil management methods (mulching and
scooping) were compared for fertilizer and water use efficiency for maize production.
The treatments mulching (MF), scooping (SF), mulching + scooping (MSF) were
significantly better than the control fertilizer (F) in terms of maize grain
yield, number of maize cobs per hectare and days to 50 % flowering. Among the
treatments SF is recommended because of problems of procurement and application
that are often associated with mulching materials.
Key words:
Evapotranspiration, mulching, scooping.