Effect of weeding status and tapping date on the yield of gum Arabic (Acacia Senegal) in Jigawa state, Nigeria

Abstract

The study examined the Effect of Weeding Status and Tapping Date on the yield of gum Arabic (Acacia senegal) in Jigawa State, Nigeria. The said task has been accomplished by employing a two factorial experiment of complete randomized block design with three replicates which involves the weeding status and tapping dates conducted in 2014 season at two different locations; Kadoma and Kwanar duhuwa. The weeding status experiment comprises of three 100% weeded plots; and three Unwweded plots; while the tapping date investigation was tested at six levels (1st and 15th September, 1st and 5th October and 1st and 15th November). In each of these treatments three (3) trees were tapped making a total number of two hundred and sixteen trees in the two locations and one hundred and eight (108) trees at kadoma and Kwanar duhuwa respectively. The first picking of the gum yield took place 45day after tapping and each consecutive picking was collected after 15 days from the previous one. The gum from each picking was weighed after air drying with sensitive balance JY2002 model. SAS statistical package used for the data analysis thus DUNCAN multiple range test were employed in establishing the relationships between the variable investigated.Thus, the finding has revealed that gum Arabic tapping conducted on the 15th of October gave higher yield of gum Arabic when compared with the rest dates of tapping; the unweeded plots gave superior yield than the weeded plot.Therefore gum Arabic farmers were advised not to weed gum Arabic field when they are matured enough for harvest at the same time tapping should be carried out when the gum Arabic tree lost at least 50% of their leaves.

Keywords; Gum Arabic, Jigawa State, Tapping and Weeding.