Frontiers of Agriculture and Food Technology

Frontiers of Agriculture and Food Technology ISSN 7295-2849 Vol. 10 (2), pp. 001-005, February, 2020. © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Influence of nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium application on the yield of maize in the savanna zone of Nigeria

Kogbe J. O. S. and Adediran J. A.*

Institute of Agricultural Research and Training, Obafemi Awolowo University, PMB 5029, Ibadan, Nigeria

Accepted 21 November, 2019

Abstract

Field trials testing the effects of five rates each of N, P and K application on three hybrid and two open-pollinated maize varieties were conducted in three separate experiments on an Arenic haplustalf (USDA) at Ilora in the derived savanna and Typic paleustalf (USDA) at Mokwa in the southern guinea savanna of Nigeria. The hybrid maize varieties planted were 8516-12, 8321-18 and 8329-15 and were compared with the open-pollinated maize, TZSR-Y and TZSR-W. Nitrogen was applied at rates 0-200 kg ha^-1 in the first trial, while P and K were supplied as basal nutrients. In the second trial, P was applied at rates 0- 80 kg P₂O₅ ha^-1 using basal N and K fertilizers. In another trial, K was applied at rates 0-120 kg ha^-1 with blanket application of N and P. The hybrid maize gave higher yields and used N and P more efficiently than the open pollinated at both trial locations. The yield of maize was higher in the southern guinea savanna than in the derived savanna. The performance of the hybrid varieties followed in the ascending order of 8516-12, 8321-18 and 8329-15. The optimum rates of N and P for maize grown in the derived savanna were 100 and 40 kg ha^-1respectively. In the southern guinea savanna the open pollinated and hybrid varieties responded up to 150 and 200 kg N ha^-1 respectively. The 8516-12 showed higher N and P use efficiency than other varieties. Consequently, planting such variety could be advantageous, using minimal dose of fertilizer most especially, where farmers have less access to fertilizer.

Key words: Hybrid maize, open pollinated maize, nitrogen use efficiency, phosphorus use efficiency.

Frontiers of Agriculture and Food Technology ISSN 7295-2849 Vol. 10 (2), pp. 001-006, February, 2020. © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

The contribution of food plants to the growth, development and fecundity of Zonocerus variegatus (L)

Idowu A.B.* and Sonde O.A.

Department of Biological Sciences University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Nigeria.

Accepted 22 September, 2019

Abstract

The performance of the variegated grasshopper, Zonocerus variegatus (L) fed on different food plants namely cassava (Manihot esculenta), pawpaw (Carica papaya) and acalypha (Acalypha wilkesiana) and a mixture of these plants (mixed diets) from 5th nymphal instar to adult was investigated. Survivor and longevity of nymphs and as well as the reproductive performance of adult Zonocerus was greater and better for insect fed on cassava and mixed diets, as compared to those fed only on Acalypha and pawpaw. Adults emerged between the 5th to 16th week in cages containing 5th instars fed on cassava and mixed diets, while it took between 7-23 weeks for those fed on acalypha and pawpaw to emerge as adult. There were significant differences in the measurements of the body parameters of insects fed on the four different food plants. Ranking was cassava>mixture>pawpaw>acalyhpa. Sex had no significant effect on the measurement of body parameters regardless of the food plants. Feeding assay showed that there was a significant difference between the amounts of leaves consumed by Zonocerus fed on the different food plants. Of all the diets, cassava was the most preferred and most consumed food plant. This had a corresponding effect on the weight gained by the insects. The results of the proximate analysis showed significant differences in the dry matter, crude protein and fat content of Z. variegatus fed on the different food plants. A positive correlation existed between the body weight, protein and fat content of Z. variegatus fed on the different food plants.

Key words: Zonocerus variegatus, food plants, instar, growth, development.

Frontiers of Agriculture and Food Technology ISSN 7295-2849 Vol. 10 (2), pp. 001-007, February, 2020. © International Scholars Journals

Full Length Research Paper

Phylogenetic diversity and relationships among sorghum accessions using SSRs and RAPDs

Agrama H.A.^* and Tuinstra M.R.

¹Department of Agronomy, Kansas State University, 2004 Throckmorton, Manhattan, KS 66506-5501, USA.

Accepted 11 September, 2019

Abstract

Two DNA-based fingerprinting techniques, simple sequence repeats (SSR) and random amplified polymorphic DNA (RAPD) analyses, were applied in sorghum germplasm analysis to compare suitability for quantifying genetic diversity. Twenty-two sorghum genotypes, representing an array of germplasm sources with important agronomic traits, were assayed for polymorphism using 32 RAPD primers and 28 sets of sorghum SSR primers. The results indicated that SSR markers were highly polymorphic with an average of 4.5 alleles per primer. The RAPD primers were less polymorphic with nearly 40% of the fragments being monomorphic. An analysis of genetic diversity among sorghum lines indicated that the genetic distances calculated from SSR data were highly correlated with the distances based on the geographic origin and race classifications. Based on the results of these studies, SSR markers appear to be particularly useful for the estimation of genetic similarity among diverse genotypes of sorghum.

Key words: cluster, diversity, polymorphism, RAPD, Sorghum, SSR.