Yield Performance of Maize as Influenced by Fertilizer Types in a Cassava / Maize / Melon Intercrop in Uyo Local Government Area by Anthony A. Offiong, Saviour O. Nsa & Etop N. Essien

ABSTRACT
Yield performance of maize plants that received different types of fertilizer in a cassava, maize/ melon intercrop was studied. Altogether, three each of research objectives, questions and hypotheses were set to guide the study which was carried out in the University of Uyo Agricultural Education Skill Development Farm. The study used a Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with NPK 1 5. 1 5. 1 5, 20. 1 0.1 O and 46. 0.0 as treatments while the control had no fertilizer application. There were 3 replicates. The population of maize was 200 local best stands called “Uwep”. Simple random sampling technique was used to select 24 maize cobs/ treatment for grains count while for length of de-husked maize cobs 60 cobs/ treatment were selected- Also, all the maize cobs/ treatment were purposively selected for weight of husked and de-hushed maize. Weight of maize cobs were taken by top load weighing balance and length of maize cobs were taken with a ruler. While mean and standard deviation were used to answer the research questions, analysis of covariance was used to test the hypotheses at 0.05 significance level. Results showed that NPK 46.0.0 gave better results in weight of husked, de-husked and length of de-husked maize cobs. However, NPK 15.15. 1 5 gave more grains/ cob followed by NPK 20.10.10. Analysis of covariance with control as the covariate in all the parameters studied showed that significant difference (P<0.05, existed. MCA results further showed that NPK 46.0.0 was responsible for the significance in weight of hushed and de—husked maize cobs as well as length of de-husked maize cobs while NPK I 5. 1 5.1 5 was responsible for the significance in number of grains/ cob. Conclusions were drawn and recommendations made basically that maize should be applied with NPK 46. 0. O at the early stage of growth and NPK I 5. 15.15 just before tasseling.