Effect Of Urea On The Gro Effect Of Urea On The Growth And Development Of Maize (Zea Mays) At Different Rates Of Application In South Eastern Region Of Nigeria.

ABSTRACT

The field experiment was to study the effect of urea on the growth and development of maize at different rates of application in South Eastern region of Nigeria. Completely randomized block design was employed in the experiment, comprising four treatments replicated three times to give a total of 12 plots. Each plot had a total of nine maize stands making a total of 108 plant population. The treatments were applied at the rates of 100kg/ha, 150kg/ha and 200kg/ha three and seven weeks after planting. The control had no treatment application. Plant growth and development was assessed using plant height, number of leaves, leaf area, fresh weight and dry weight of plant. Plant yield was assessed using fresh weight of cobs with husk, fresh of cobs without husk and the dry weight of cobs. The data collected from different treatment was subjected to statistical analysis using ANOVA and mean separation was done using LSD at (p˂0.05).The results were presented using the bar chart diagrams. The results shown by the bar chart with reference to the data collected indicated that urea applied at the rate of 100kg/ha, 150kg/ha and 200kg/ha improved the growth, development and yield of Zea mays L. but to varying degrees. the result revealed that the maximum vegetative growth was recorded from the treatment with the highest urea application (200kg/ha) followed by plots treated with 150kg/ha and 100kg/ha urea. Treatment application at the rate of 200kg/ha also gave the highest result in yield of maize. Control had the lowest result at both growth and development stage. Hence, the study revealed that urea (46% N) had a significant increase (p˂0.05) on the plant growth, development and yield of maize of plants.

TABLE OF CONTENT

Title page ﾿ i

Certification ﾿ ii ﾿

Declaration ﾿ iii

Dedication ﾿ iv

Acknowledgement ﾿ v

Table of contents ﾿ vi

List of figures ﾿ ix

List of plates ﾿ x

Abstract ﾿           xi

CHAPTER ONE ﾿

1.1     Introduction ﾿ 1  

1.2     Research justification ﾿ 3 ﾿

1.3     Research objectives ﾿ 4 ﾿

CHAPTER TWO

2.0 ﾿ Literature review ﾿ 5

2.1 ﾿ Maize (zea mays) ﾿ 5

2.2 ﾿ Importance of maize ﾿ 9 

2.3 ﾿ Origin and distribution of maize ﾿ 11

2.4 ﾿ Maize production ﾿ 14

2.5     Botany of maize ﾿ 15

2.6     Climatic requirement ﾿    17

2.7     Soil requirement ﾿    19

2.8     Planting ﾿ 20

2.9     Land preparation ﾿    20

2.10   Fertilizer applicaton in maize production ﾿    21

2.11   Production constraints in maize ﾿    22

CHAPTER THREE

3.0 ﾿ Materials and methods ﾿ 25

3.1 ﾿ Location of the experimental site ﾿ 25

3.2 ﾿ Soil collection/ analysis ﾿ 25

3.3 ﾿ Design of experiment ﾿ 26

3.4 ﾿ Planting materials ﾿ 26

3.5 ﾿ Treatment application ﾿ 27

3.6 ﾿ Cultural operations ﾿ 27

3.7 ﾿ Data collection ﾿ 27

3.7.1 ﾿ Plant height ﾿ 28

3.7.2 ﾿ Number of leaves ﾿ 28

3.7.3 ﾿ Leaf area ﾿ 28

3.7.4 ﾿ Fresh weight and dry weight of maize plant ﾿ 28

3.7.5 ﾿ Fresh weight of cobs with husk and fresh weight of cobs without husk 28

3.7.6 ﾿ Dry weight of cobs ﾿ 29

3.8 ﾿ Statistical analysis ﾿ 29

CHAPTER FOUR

4.0 ﾿ Results ﾿ 30

4.1 ﾿ Growth and development parameters ﾿ 30

4.1.1 ﾿ Effect of urea at different rate of application plant height ﾿ 30

4.1.2 ﾿ Effect of urea at different rate of application leaf area ﾿ 31

4.1.3 ﾿ Effect of urea at different rate of application ﾿ number of leaves ﾿ 32

4.1.4 ﾿ Effect of urea at different rate of application fresh weight and dry weight of plants ﾿ 33 ﾿

4.1.5 ﾿ Effect of urea at different rate of application fresh weight of cobs with and without husk and dry weight of cobs ﾿ 34

CHAPTER FIVE

5.0 ﾿ Discussion, conclusion and recommendation ﾿ 39

5.1 ﾿ Discussion ﾿ 39

5.2 ﾿ Conclusion and recommendation ﾿ 42

References ﾿ 43

Appendix ﾿ 51