Article

The Production of Jute (Corchorus capsularis L.) as Influenced by spacing and Organic fertilizer Grown in Gombe and Benue state, Nigeria

Abstract

The experiment aimed to evaluate the effect of residuals species on the growth and yield of jute grown at Gombe and Makurdi during the 2020 Rainy Season. The treatments used were Spacing (5, 10 and 15cm), Organic source (Poultry dropping, Cow dung, NPK and control) was used. The experiment is a 3 by 4 experiment laid in a randomized complete block design with three replications. During the investigation, some physiological variables, such as growth, plant height, the number of leaves, number of branches, 1st flower initiation, and 50% flowering were measured. Other characters like number of calyx shoot weight; calyx weight, number of pod, number of seeds per pod and 100 seed weight were also recorded. The results of the investigation revealed that sorrel generally responded to both spacing and nutrient source. All the parameters studies have significantly (P ≤ 0.05) responded to spacing 15cm, where it was observed to perform higher in both growth character such as plant height (129.11), the number of leaves (109.01) and the number calyx (8.11), number of seed per calyx (18.11) and calyx weight (102.12) number of pod (21.12), 100 seed weight (4.41) and shoot weight (2891.01). On nutrient source NPK was superior in both growth and yield related character followed by poultry droppings such as, as plant height (139.01), the number of leaves (99.01) and the number calyx (5.12), number of seed per calyx (19.12) and calyx weight (112.12) number of pod (22.12), 100 seed weight (5.01) and shoot weight (30129.96). Jute grown in Benue outgrows those cultivated in Gombe in both growth and yield-related character. Based on the results obtained it can be suggested that the use spacing 15cm and NPK fertilizer and poultry dropping which is second to NPK fertilizers in both growth and yield characters for less privilege farmers will lead to optimum yield in jute cultivation in the study areas.