PRODUCTIVITY OF WATERMELON (CITRULLUS LANATUS (THUNBERG) M.) AS INFLUENCED BY DIFFERENT FERTILIZATION, IRRIGATION METHODS, AND INTRA-ROW SPACINGS AT SAMARU, NORTHERN GUINEA SAVANNA
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.33003/jaat.2024.1002.06Keywords:
productivity, Watermelon,, fertilization,, irrigation,, intra-row spacings and, savannaAbstract
An experiment comprised of three fertilizations (NPK 100-50-50, 5 tons (t) Poultry Manure (PM); NPK 50-25-25 + 2.5 t PM ha-1, two irrigation methods (Furrow and Border) and three levels of intra-row spacing (1 m x 1 m, 1 m x 2 m and 1.5 m x 1.5 m) was carried out during 2021 and 2022 dry seasons. The experiment was carried out in the Teaching and Research Farm of the Institute for Agricultural Research, Ahmadu Bello University Zaria, latitude 11° 11' N and longitude 07° 38' E, 686 meters above sea level. The treatments were arranged in a Randomized Complete Block Design in a split-plot arrangement and replicated three times. Data measured were on vine length, number of branches plant-1, days to 50% flowering, number of fruits plants-1, fruits yield plot-1 (g), and yield ha-1 (kg ha-1). All the required agronomic practices were duly observed. The data collected were subjected to statistical analysis of variance (ANOVA) using SAS version 9.0. Significant means were separated using Duncan Multiple Range Test at 5% probability. The results obtained from the study revealed that the application of 50-25-25 NPK + 2.5-ton PM ha-1, using border irrigation and closer intra-row spacing of 1 m x 1 m appeared the best combination for good growth performance and optimum yield of watermelon in the northern Guinea ecological zone of Nigeria. Therefore, farmers are recommended to apply 50-25-25 NPK + 2.5 PM hectare-1 using border irrigation method and to plant watermelon at an intra-row spacing of 1 m x 1 m for good productivity of watermelon at Samaru, northern Guinea savanna.
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