PRODUCTIVITY OF HABANERO PEPPER (Capsicum chinense l.) VARIETY TO VARYING LEVEL OF FARMYARD MANURE, WEED CONTROL AND INTRA ROW SPACING IN NORTHERN GUINEA SAVANNAH

A. Y. ABUBAKAR; L. ALIYU; D. I. ADEKPE; M. A. MAHADI; A. MA’AZU; M. S. ABDULSALAM; D.I ATOKU; M. YUSUF; F.R. NANKPAK; A.V. MUHAMMAD

doi:10.70382/mejavs.v7i1.028

Authors

A. Y. ABUBAKAR National Biotechnology Development Agency, Abuja.
L. ALIYU National Biotechnology Development Agency, Abuja.
D. I. ADEKPE National Biotechnology Development Agency, Abuja.
M. A. MAHADI National Biotechnology Development Agency, Abuja.
A. MA’AZU Department of Agronomy, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria.
M. S. ABDULSALAM Department of Agronomy, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria.
D.I ATOKU Department of Agronomy, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria.
M. YUSUF Department of Agronomy, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria.
F.R. NANKPAK Department of Agronomy, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria.
A.V. MUHAMMAD Department of Agronomy, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria.

Abstract

Field trials were conducted during the 2016 wet seasons at the experimental site of Kaduna Agricultural Development Agency (KADA) sub-station located in Maigana, Soba Local Government Area and the research farm of the Institute for Agricultural Research (IAR) Ahmadu Bello University Zaria in the Northern Guinea Savanna Ecological Zone of Nigeria to assess the performance of Habanero pepper in response to farmyard manure, weed control method and intra-row spacing. The treatments consisted of three farm yard manure rates at (0, 10, and 15 t ha^-1), six weed control treatments which include pre-transplant application of 1.5 and 2.0 kg a.i pendimethalin ha^-1 and post-transplant application of 1.5 and 2.0 kg a.i pendimethalin ha^-1, hoe weeding at 6, 9 and 12 WAT and weedy check and two intra-row spacing at 20 and 40 cm. A split-plot design was used in which a factorial combination of farmyard manure was assigned to the sub-plot while weed control method and intra-row spacing were assign to the main plot, the treatments were replicated three times. The results from the study revealed that 15 t ha^-1 FYM produced higher crop vigour score, more number of leaves, number of fruit per plant, fresh fruit weight per plant and fresh fruit yield per hectare while days to 50% flowering was significantly reduced compared to 10 t ha^-1 FYM and the control. The hoe weeded control consistently gave significantly higher crop vigour score, more number of leaves, number of fruit per plant, fresh fruit weight per plant and fresh fruit yield per hectare while days to 50% flowering was significantly reduced compared to the application of 1.5 and 2.0 kg a.i ha^-1 pendimethalin at pre transplant and post transplanting and weedy check. The weedy check cause significantly lower crop growth, yield and yield components compared to other treatments throughout the sampling period in both locations and seasons. The 40 cm intra row spacing significantly produced higher crop vigour score, crop growth and yield characters. The result obtained from this study revealed that 15 t ha^-1 FYM, hoe weeding at 6, 9 and 12 WAT and 40cm intra row spacing resulted in highest fresh fruit yield and therefore can be adopted by the habanero pepper farmers in the Northern guinea savanna ecological zone.