Enhancing the Yield Characteristics of Groundnut (Arachis hypogaea L.) at Different Organo-mineral Fertilizer Rates
J. D. Ntia
Department of Crop Science, Faculty of Agriculture, Forestry and Wildlife Resources Management, University of Calabar, PMB 1115, Calabar, Cross River State, Nigeria
F. A. Nwagwu
Department of Crop Science, Faculty of Agriculture, Forestry and Wildlife Resources Management, University of Calabar, PMB 1115, Calabar, Cross River State, Nigeria
J. O. Shiyam *
Department of Crop Science, Faculty of Agriculture, Forestry and Wildlife Resources Management, University of Calabar, PMB 1115, Calabar, Cross River State, Nigeria
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
A field fertilizer trial on groundnut (Arachis hypogaea L.) was conducted in 2014/2015 cropping season at the Crop Research Farm of the Department of Crop Science, University of Calabar, Calabar, Nigeria (04º 5’E and 07º 25’E., 37 meters above sea level) located in the coastal Cross River high rainforest. Groundnut performance was evaluated using four rates of JonkerR organo-mineral fertilizer (OMF) at 0, 2.0, 2.5 and 3.0 t ha-1 in randomized complete block (RCB) design in four replications. Result obtained showed that organo-mineral fertilized had favourable effect on groundnut and produced significantly (p ≤ 0.05) highest fresh pod weight (491.5 gplot-1), shelling percentage (72.89%), 100-seed weight (92.89 g), seed yieldplot-1 (246.78 gplot-1) and seed yield (2.80 tha-1) at 3.0 t OMF ha-1. This level of fertilizer could be adequate for increased groundnut yield and should be adopted by farmers in the study area.
Keywords: Groundnut, organo-mineral fertilizer, rainforest, yield attributes