Field trials were conducted during the 2006, 2007 and 2008 rainy seasons at the Institute for Agricultural Research Samaru, in the Northern guinea savanna zone of Nigeria to evaluate the effects of weed control and cow dung manure treatments on growth of Quality Protein Maize. The trial consisted of factorial combinations of eight weed control treatments which include application of (Atrazine + Acetochlor + Terbuthylazine at a ratio of 1:1:1, Atrazine + Metolachlor at a ratio of 1:2 each at 3.0 and 4.0kg a.i/ha, Atrazine at 4.0 and 5.0kg a.i/ha, Hoe weeding at 3 and 6 weeks after sowing and a weedy check) with four cow dung manure levels at (0, 4, 8 and 12t/ha and a recommended NPK mineral fertilizer check at the rate of 120kg N, 26kg P and 50kg K/ha). The treatments were laid out in a split plot design with three replicates. In the mean data, application of Atrazine + Metolachlor at 4.0kg a.i/ha and the two hoe weedings produced significantly (P < 0.05) higher and similar values for total dry matter and crop growth rate, whereas Atrazine + Metolachlor at 4.0kg a.i/ha only produced significantly (P<0.05) the higher values for leaf area index and harvest index. Application of Atrazine + Acetochlor + Terbuthylazine at 4.0kg a.i/ha had statistically (P<0.05) the higher lodging count. The highest Relative growth rate was by Atrazine + Metolachlor at 3.0kg a.i/ha (P<0.05). The weedy check consistently produced the least values for all parameters. Application of cow dung manure at 12t/ha and the NPK mineral fertilizer check produced significantly the highest values for all parameters (P<0.05) while 0 fertilizer control had the least. Based on the result of this study it can be deduced that the application of Atrazine + Metolachlor at 4.0 kg a.i/ha and cow dung manure at 12t/ha increased growth of Quality Protein Maize.
Genetic divergence of baobab (Adansonia digitata) in the North East and West of Nigeria was investigated. The seeds collected from 36 populations of Adansonia digitata were thoroughly washed from the pulp, dried and sown in polyethylene pots and arranged in completely randomized design (CRD) with three replications in the nursery of Savanna Forestry Research Institute of Nigeria, (FRIN), Zaria Station. The leaves of the seedlings were assessed at 16 weeks after sowing (WAS) for nutritional traits such as carbohydrate, crude protein, fat, moisture content, fiber and ash. Highly significant differences were observed in all the traits assessed showing that high variability exists among the populations. Mean separation and comparisons were also consistent with the observed variability in all the traits of the genotypes in the 36 populations. Mahalanobis D² statistic and wards minimum variance grouped the 36 populations into four clusters: I (25), II (3), III (7) and IV (1). Clusters IV and I had the highest inter-clusters value and intra-cluster distance. Clusters II and I had the least values of D 2 and D 2 of the inter cluster and intra cluster distance. Furthermore, cluster I had the highest population (25) and cluster IV was observed to be an isolated cluster with only one population and 0 intra-cluster values. Crosses can be made among the genetically divergent populations of baobab to develop genotypes for higher nutritional quality in the leaves as well as withstand both biotic and abiotic stress arising from the environment.
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