THE INFLUENCE OF DATE OF PLANTING AND FERTILIZER APPLICATION ON GROWTH COMPONENTS OF COLUMBUS GRASS (SORGHUM ALMUM)

Abstract

Trials were conducted at Gangora in the northern Guinea Savanna ecological zone of Nigeria during the 1990 and 1991 rainy seasons. The effects of date of planting (4^th,14^th, 24^th June and 4^th  July) and levels of nitrogen fertilizer (0, 50,100, 150 and 200kg/ha) on growth components of Sorghum almum  were investigated. Planting in mid-June (14^th June) in 1990 and early-July (4^th July) in 1991 resulted in superior stand established and dry matter yields (p<0.05) than other dates. In mid-June and early-July planting 14 day post-planting, plant densities were 7.0 and 9.0 culms/m² while plant heights were 20.4 and 11.3cm for the respective years. It had high tillering capacity and irrespective of date of planting (except for early-June planting) plant densities by 56 days post-planting (DPP) were greater than 100 culms/m². Plant height at this stage were greater than 100 culms/m² and were generally above 200cm. ninety DPP the pasture was at full bloom/hard dough stage. Dm yields then ranged from 8.0 to 11.4 tDM/ha in 1990 and 9.6 to 14.7 tDM/ha in 1991. Similarly seed yield for the respective years were 894.7 and 836.3 kg/ha. Fertilizer application (p<0.05) plant vigour, tillering and dry matter yield up to the highest N applied. In the first years trial, plant density at 35 days post-planting ranged from 12.0 to 29.0 culms/m² while in the second year the ranged was 13.0 to 26.0 culms/m². The corresponding values at 56 DPP (i.e 42 days following N application) were 32.0 to 81.0 and 45.0 to 101.0 culms/m². Dry matter yields rose steadily from 6.5 to 12.5 tDM/ha in 1990 and from 8.9 to 13.6 tDM/ha in 1991 as fertilizer was increased 0 to 200 kgN/ha. Seed yield during the same period for the respective years varied from 416.0 to 753.0kg/ha. This study has shown that planting between mid-June and early-July with fertilize application of 100 to 200 khN/ha favour S. almum establishment and production in the northern Guinea Savanna of Nigeria