2025/09/01 by ndifon, elias, Oghene, Pascal, Ohayaba, Godsfavour +3
#Bambara nut #indigenous crops #legumes #orphan crops #plant population
paper · doi:10.20372/afnr.v3i2.1539
Bambara groundnut production and research ignored at one’s risk, considering that this hardy crop yields well in mixed cropping, marginal lands, and off-season. To investigate effect of plant spacing x landraces, a replicated randomized complete block design was utilized. The treatment set consisted of two Bambara groundnut landraces (i.e., Ikwo Landrace-1 = V1 and Nsukka Landrace-2 = V2) and three plant spacing: P1 = 12 x 45 cm2, P2 = 20 x 45 cm2, and P3 = 55 x 45 cm2 equivalent to 182,149; 111,334, and 40,485 plants ha-1, respectively. Shoot height and petiole length were not significantly different. Significant differences existed between the number of leaves at 4 and 6 weeks after sowing. Plant spacing2 x Landrace-1 interaction produced significantly more 100-seed weight (287.6 g), followed by Plant spacing1 x Landrace-1 (248.1 g) and Plant spacing2 x Landrace2 (190.6 g). Landrace-1 produced a higher 100-seed weight (239.19 g), compared to Landrace-2 (126.63 g). Plant spacing 2 produced more 100-seed weight (239.08 g) followed by Plant spacing 3 (196.87 g). Seed yield from Plant spacing2 x Landrace-1, Plant spacing3 x Landrace-1, and Plant spacing1 x Landrace-1 (2330.4, 2127.2, and 1049.4 kg ha-1, respectively) were significantly higher compared to the other treatments. Landrace-1 produced a higher seed weight (1835.66 kg ha-1) compared to Landrace-2 (911.2 kg ha-1). Plant spacing 2 produced more seed weight (1638.8 kg ha-1), followed by Plant-spacing 3 (1586.52 kg ha-1). Finally, plant spacing2 followed by Plant spacing3 and Landrace-1 are highly recommended for Ebonyi State, southeastern Nigeria.