Influence of Cultivar and Sokoto Phosphate Rock Levels on the Yield and Yield Components of Groundnut (Arachis hypogaea L.) in Dry Sub-Humid Sokoto Area, Nigeria

Abstract

Locally and easily available rock phosphate could be a sustainable source of phosphorus for legumes production in this region, where, phosphorus deficiency is one of the major problems to crop production. As such, field experiments were conducted during 2007 and 2008 rainy seasons at the Dry land Teaching and Research Farm of Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto to study the effect of cultivar and Sokoto phosphate rock (SPR) on the performance of groundnut (Arachis hypogaea L.) in the semi-arid zone of Nigeria. Treatments consisted of factorial combination of two groundnut cultivars (Ex-Dakar and RMP-12) and four levels of Sokoto phosphate rock (0, 60, 120 and 180 kg ha^-1) laid out in a randomized complete block design replicated three times. Results revealed that pods per plant, pod yield, kernel yield, shelling percentage and harvest index were higher in Ex-Dakar. Also, results obtained revealed no significant effect of SRP on the performance of the parameters observed. Thus, from the findings of this research it could be concluded that Ex-Dakar cultivar could be planted for increased groundnut production in the area. Groundnut cultivars under study did not respond to Sokoto rock phosphate application in the semi-arid zone.