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