Effect Of Planting Date On Seven Varieties Of Soybean (Glycine Max (L.) Merrill) In Umudike Agroecosystem Of Southeastern Nigeria

ABSTRACT

A field experiment was conducted in the 2002 cropping season at Umudike, south eastern Nigeria to study the effect of planting date on seven varieties of soybean. The experiment was split plot in randomized complete block design with three replicates. The main plot treatments were four planting dates (June, July, August and September) and the sub plot treatments were seven varieties (TGX 1485 -ID, TGX 1440 -IE, TOX 1799— 8F, TOX 1831 — 32F, TGX 1878 — 7E, TGX 1740 and NCRI Soy — I). Delay in planting up to August significantly reduced the time to 50 percent flowering and increased the number of pods per plant, 100 — seed weight and seed yield. The TGX 1485 — a ID variety was the earliest to flower and produced significantly higher shoot dry matter, number of pods per plant and seed yield than the other varieties. Interaction between planting date and variety showed that TGX 1485— ID gave significantly the highest seed yield of 2937.9 kg/ha in August planting date.