Effect of Sowing Intervals on the Performance of Grain Components of African Yam Bean (Sphenostylis stenocarpa L.) in Northern Guinea Savanna, Nigeria
Keywords:
Sowing Intervals, Grain, African Yam Bean, Savanna, NigeriaAbstract
Field experiment was carried out during 2021 rainy season at Teaching and Research Farm, Department of Crop Science, Adamawa State University, Mubi, and Teaching and Research Farm, Department of Crop Production and Horticulture, Modibbo Adama Univesity, Yola both located in Northern Guinea savanna of Nigeria. This was to study the performance of grain components of African yam bean (Sphenostylis stenocarpa L.) under varying sowing intervals. The treatments were early July, mid July and late July, fitted in a randomized complete block design (RCBD) and replicated three times. Data were collected on important pod determining parameters (number of secondary branches per plant and days to 50 % flowering). Days to first podding, pod dry weight, number of pods per plant, pod length were also collected as grain determining parameters and as well as other grain yield components were also collected and subjected to analysis of variance using the Statistical Package, Statistix “10.0”. From the results of the analysis, number of secondary branches were higher with early and mid sowing. Similarly, early and mid sowing influenced earliness to 50 % flowering and 50 % podding in terms of number of days. Average pod dry weight was higher at early sowing as mid sowing influenced higher performance of number of grains per plant (31.5), pod length (15.5 cm), number of grain per pod (8.5); and also a hundred grain weight (26.4 g) which was at par with later sowing time (25.6 g). Grain yield per hectare for both the location and mean of the locations (2.42 t/h) were influenced with the mid sowing period, which could conclusively stand as the recommended sowing time for the agro-ecological area under study.