EVALUATION OF OPTIMUM NITROGEN LEVELS FOR PEARL MILLET (Pennisetum glaucum (L.) R. Br.) PRODUCTION IN THE SOKOTO AGROECOLOGY OF NORTH WESTERN NIGERIA

Abstract

ABSTRACT A trial was conducted during 2018 rainy season at Usmanu Danfodiyo University Dry Land Teaching and Research Farm, lying at latitude 130 01’ North and longitude 50 15’ East to evaluate optimum nitrogen levels for pearl millet (Pennisetum glaucum (L.) R. Br.) Production in the Sokoto agroecology of North Western Nigeria. The experiment was laid out as factorial randomized complete block design (RCBD) replicated two times with two factors. The first factor was millet variety, which include two improved millet varieties SOSAT and SUPER SOSAT with a local check Wuyan Bajimi. The second factor was Nitrogen levels, which include 60Kg N: 30Kg P2O5: 30Kg K2O/ha; 65KgN: 35KgP2O5: 35Kg K2O/ha and 70KgN: 40KgP2O5: 40Kg K2O/ha. . Data on growth and yield parameters were taken; stand establishment count, tillers count, plant height, days to fifty percent (50%) heading, days to fifty percent (50%) maturity, panicle length , grain yield and one thousand (1000) grain yield. Results obtained were analyzed using SPSS (one way ANOVA at 5% level of significance). All results on growth and yield parameters differs significantly such as stand establishment count, tillers count, plant height, days to fifty percent (50%) heading, days to fifty percent (50%) maturity, grain yield and one thousand (1000) grain yield, while panicle length does not differ significantly difference among the treatments. However, from this trial, it can be concluded that treatment Sosat 40KgK2 O/ha (V1N3) has the best grain yield per hectare of 2866.70kg/ha, suggesting it being the best treatment option for pearl millet production in the Sokoto agroecology among all treatments tested.