Sorghum (Sorghum bicolor [L.] Moench) Growth and Yield As Influenced by Weed Infestation, Spacing and Number of Plants/Stand in the Southern Guinea Savanna of Nigeria
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Date
2015-12-18
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2015 Beth-Bekka Academic Publishers Ltd
Abstract
Field trials were conducted at the Teaching and Research Farm of the College of Agriculture, Kwara State University, Malete, Nigeria, during the 2012 and 2013 cropping seasons. The aim was to determine the effects of plant spacing and number of plants per stand on weed infestation and yield of sorghum in the southern Guinca savanna of Nigeria. The treatments consisted of three plant spacings at 90 x 60 cm, 75 x 50 cm and 75 x 25 cm, which were allocated to the main plot, while the number of plants per stand, namely:
1 plant, 2 plants 3 plants, 4 plants, 5 plants and 6 plants/stand were allocated to the sub-plots, making a total number of 18 treatments. These treatments were laid out in a split plot arrangement fitted into a randomized complete bock design with three replicates. Parameters measured include weed cover scores, weed dry matter, plant height, 1000-seed weight and grain yield. Results showed that wider plant spacings supported weed infestation that were significantly higher than narrower spacings, though it produced significantly highest grain yield. Number of plants/stand had no significant effect on grain yield. Therefore, spacing at 90 × 60 cm and 1- 6 plants/stand are suitable for the production of higher yields of sorghum in the southern Guinea savanna of Nigeria.
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