Effect of varying intra row spacing on the growth and yield of pepper in Kabba, Kogi State, Nigeria

Abstract

This experiment was carried out at students experimental field, Kabba College of Agriculture, Horticultural Section to investigate the effects of varying intra row spacing on growth and yield of pepper [Rado]. The treatments consist of five different intra row spacing (50 x 20cm, 50 x 30cm, 50 x 40cm, 50 x 50cm and 50 x 60cm) . The parameters taken are as follows: average plant height, number of leaves, and number of fruits, stem girth, number of fruit per plant, fruit length, fruit diameter and yield per land area. Data was collected from ten randomly selected plants in each plot. The data were statistically analyzed using ANOVA and the significant difference between mean treatments were separated using duncans multiple range test (DMRT) at 5% level of probability. The result indicated that varying intra row spacing affects significantly the growth parameters of pepper; yield per plant and yield of pepper per land area. The result also, indicated that pepper with closest spacing was better in terms of yield per land area while widest intra row spacing gave the highest individual plant yield attributes. For economic use of land, it is concluded that spacing of 50cm x 20cm should be adopted for pepper production in the study area.