EFFECTS OF PLANTING METHODS AND FERTILIZER APPLICATION RATES ON PROXIMATE COMPOSITION OF CENTROSEMA PASCUORUM IN DUTSE LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREA OF JIGAWA STATE

Abstract

A study was conducted to evaluate effects of planting methods and fertilizer application rates on proximate composition of Centrosema pascuorum, at experimental field of crop science Department, Faculty of Agriculture Federal University Dutse, Jigawa State. The research was laid out in 2x5 factorial arrangement in a randomize completely block design (RCBD) consisting of two (2) methods of planting (Drilling and Broadcasting) and five (5) fertilizer rate (0kgha-1 , 150kgha-1 , 200kgha-1 , 250kgha-1 and 300kgha-1 ). Fertilizer used was single super phosphate (SSP). Proximate components were all determined. Result revealed that Proximate composition had no effect on planting method, (P>0.05) numerically Moisture content and Ash (17.34) (15.15) was higher in drilling method compared to broadcasting. However, broadcasting method numerically NFE was higher (29.89). Effect of fertilizer on proximate composition Moisture content, Dry matter, Crude fibre, and Ash was significant (P<0.05).at 150 and 300kg/ha fertilizer. The effect of interaction between planting method and fertilizer application rates Crude fibre was highly significant (P<0.05) at 150 kg/ha fertilizer rates drilling (23.96), broadcasting (24.72) 150kg/ha,) and (25.23)300kg/ha respectively. The crude protein was numerically higher in drilling method (17.01) at 250kg/ha fertilizer rates.Based on the results obtained on the proximate composition of C. pascuorum in this study, it can be recommended that any farmer intending to go into pasture production particularly production of C. pascuorum can adopt any of the two levels of fertilizer (150 and 300kg/ha fertilizer) for higher dry matter, crude fibre and ash. 250kg/ha fertilizer for drilling can be recommended for crude protein from this study.