Influence of soil type and fertilizer rate on the yield and yield stability of maize in three locations of South Eastern Nigeria.

Abstract

In a study to determine the effects of soil type and fertilizer application on maize performance and yiel d stability under rain-fed conditions, split-split-plot design was carried out using three selected locations (Nsukka, Awgu and Abakaliki) as the main plots, two cultivars of maize (Oba Super . 2 and local variety) as the sub-plot treatments, and five fertilizer levels (f0, f1 f2, f3, f4) as the sub-subplot treatments. The treatments were replicated four times in RCB Design for three cropping seasons (1996, 1997 and 1998). Regression equations between variety mean and site mean obtained with and without fertilizer treatments were constructed. The study showed that location, fertilizer and cultivars as well as some of their interaction effects significantly, either at P.0.05 or 0.01, affected maize yield. The significant interaction effects of location x cultivar on mean grain yields suggest that under stable environmental conditions, Awgu soils emerged the best, followed by Abakaliki, and then by Nsukka. In terms of yield stability under fertilized condition the regression showed that local maize was more stable than the hybrid maize although, hybrid maize consistently out-yielded the local maize.