EFFECT OF WEED CONTROL TREATMENTS, SOWING DATE AND SOWING METHOD ON GROWTH AND YIELD OF FINGER MILLET (Eleusine coracana (L.) Gaertn) IN SUDAN SAVANNA OF NIGERIA
Year: 2022
Type: article
Abstract: Field experiment was conducted during 2016, 2017 and 2018 rainy seasons at the Research Farm of National Institute for Horticultural Research (NIHORT) Bagauda (Latitude 11̊ 33ꞌ N and Longitude 8̊ 23ꞌ E, 481m above sea level) Kano, in the Sudan savanna of Nigeria. The aim of the study was to evaluate the effect of weed control treatments, sowing dates and methods on the growth and yield of finger millet (Eleusine coracana (L.) Gaertn.). The experiment consisted of three (3) sowing date (late June, early July and late July), three (3) sowing methods (broadcasting, drilling and dibbling) and six weed control treatment (atrazine at 0.8 or 1.2kg a.i.ha-1, 2,4-D at 0.5 or 0.75kg a.i. ha-1, two hoe weeding at 3 and 6 weeks after sowing (WAS) and weedy check). These were laid out in a split-split-plot design and replicated three (3) times. Sowing dates were assigned to main plot, sowing methods to subplot while weed control to sub-sub plots. The results revealed that sowing on late June and early July produced significantly taller plant and higher grain yield. Broadcasting produced higher number of tillers (m-2) and grain yield in 2016 (887.3kg ha-1), 2017 (1230.0kg ha-1) and 2018 (1255.0kgha-1). Furthermore, two hoe weeding produced significantly higher grain yield (kgha-1) in all the seasons which were statistically similar with plots treated with atrazine at 1.2kg a.i. ha-1 and those treated with 2,4-D at 0.5 and 0.75kg a.i. ha-1. Based on these findings, it can be concluded that finger millet should be sown between late June to early July by broadcasting method and application of either atrazine at 1.2 kg a.i. ha-1 pre-emergence or 2,4-D at 0.5kg a.i. ha-1 post-emergence for higher grain yield (kgha-1).
Authors: T.T BELLO, M. A MAHADI, A LADO
Institutions: Ahmadu Bello University, Bayero University Kano
Language: English
Subfield: Plant Science
Domain: Life Sciences
SDG: Zero hunger
Open Access status: diamond
OpenAlex ID: W4296557372