EFFECTS OF FERTILIZER TYPES AND PLANT SPACING ON THE GROWTH PARAMETERS AND DRY MATTER YIELD IN Jatropha curcus L.

A Fagam S, O O Yunusa, J Dantata I

Abstract


Field experiment was conducted at the Nursery site of the Federal College of Forestry, Jos, Plateau State, Nigeria during the 2009, 2010 and 2011 wet seasons to investigate the effect of fertilizer types and plant spacing on the growth parameters and dry matter yield of Jatropha curcus. The treatments consisted of three levels of plant spacing (1, 2, and 3m) and six fertilizer types (0, 250, 300 and 350kgNPK/ha, 2500kg/ha of poultry manure and 2500kg/ha of cow dung) which were arranged and laid out in a randomized complete block design with three replications. The results of this experiment revealed that the growth parameters assessed were significantly affected by fertilizer types and plant spacing. The 350kg NPK/ha produced the tallest plants, higher number of leaves, leaf area, number of primary and secondary branches, canopy diameter and dry matter yield in 2009,2010 and 2011 seasons. However, narrower plant spacing produced the taller plants with higher number of leaves and number of primary and secondary branches. The dry matter yield was however, higher at wider spacing. Based on the results of this study therefore, it could be concluded that for maximum production of dry matter in Jatropha , 350 kgNPK/ha and 3m x 3m plant spacing could be suggested for farmers adoption in the Nigerian Savannah.
Keywords: Jatropha, fertilizer, growth parameters, Dry matter


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