EFFECT OF PHOSPHOROUS FERTILIZER RATE ON GROWTH AND YIELD OF BUFFALO CLOVER (Alysicarpus vaginalis) AT VARYING HARVEST AGES

Abstract

Stages and frequency of harvest in pasture establishment are crucial factors influencing the quality and quantity of forage species used for animal feed. The study was carried out at the National Animal Production Research Institute in Shika-Zaria to examine the effect of different phosphorus fertilizer rates (0, 20, and 40 kg/ha) on the growth and yield of buffalo clover (Alysicarpus vaginalis) at varying harvest ages (8, 12, and 16 weeks after sowing, WAS). The experiment followed a 3 x 3 factorial arrangement in a Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with three replicates, resulting in 27 plots, each measuring 3 x 3 m². Soil samples were collected from representative areas to assess the pre-sowing nutrient content of the soil. Seeds were sown using the drilling method, with an intra-row spacing of 0.5 meters. Growth parameters measured included plant height, leaf length, leaf width, leaf number, number of vegetative branches, and dry matter yield (DMY). The collected data were analyzed using a two-way Analysis of Variance (ANOVA). The results indicated that phosphorus fertilizer rates had no significant (P>0.05) effect on most growth parameters, except for leaf number and dry matter yield, which increased with higher phosphorus application. Leaf numbers ranged from 52.00 to 63.00, while DMY ranged from 259.37 to 290.14 kg/ha. Harvest age significantly influenced both dry matter yield and growth parameters, with increases observed in plant height (17.92–27.72 cm), leaf number (30.00–100.00), leaf width (1.08–1.21 cm), and branch number (5.00–8.00) from 8 to 16 WAS. The highest DMY (435.12 kg/ha) was recorded at 16 WAS, compared to 57.65 kg/ha at 8 WAS. Based on these findings, it was concluded that single super phosphate (SSP) could be applied at 20 or 40 kg/ha, with harvesting at 12 or 16 WAS, to achieve optimal growth and DMY.