Influence of flood levels on rainfed rice (Oryza sativa) production in floodplain of Awe Local Government Area of Nasarawa State, Nigeria

Abstract

A pedological study was carried out in floodplain of GidanTindi, Awe Local Government Area of Nasarawa State, Nigeria to characterize and evaluate the effect of flood levels on the growth and yield of rain-fed rice during the 2017 and 2018 cropping seasons. The experiment comprised of three flood levels (levees – shallow swamp, lower elevation- lower slope, and toeslope - deep swamp) and four rice varieties (FARO 44, FARO 52 (WITA 4), L-19 (FARO 60) Africa 18 (WITA 9), and FARO 15) laid out in a 3 x 4 factorial arrangement fitted into randomized complete block design (RCBD) and replicated three times giving a total of 12 treatment combinations. Each plot measured 2 × 2 m (4m2) and 1 m alley ways between plots. Soil samples were collected from different horizons of the pits, air dried crushed and sieved (d<2mm) for routine laboratory physical and chemical analyses. Crop growth and yield data were collected and subjected to one-way analysis of variance (ANOVA) at 5% level of significance. Soils of the three flood levels were rated highly suitable (S1) for rice production because of its ability to retain water during the growth period as well as favourable physical and chemical characteristics such as climate, slope, water levels, pH and texture. From the three levels of water used for the test crop, FARO 44 gave the highest yield (6.62 to 6.66 t ha-1) at levee flood levels (shallow) but submerged in medium and toeslope flood levels while L-19 had the least (5.09 and 5.03 t ha-1) under toeslope flood levels.