EFFECTS OF IRRIGATION INTERVAL AND STAGE OF GROWTH ON MORPHOLOGICAL AND GROWTH PARAMETERS OF COLUMBUS GRASS

Abstract

The effects of irrigation intervals and stage of growth on morphological and growth parameters of Sorghum almum (Columbus grass) was determined at the Livestock Teaching and Research farm of Federal College of Horticulture Dadin-kowa Gombe, Gombe State, Nigeria The treatments consisted of four (4) irrigation intervals (Zero, One day, Two days and Three days) and five stages of growth (vegetative, boot, milk, soft dough and hard dough stage). The experimental design used was a 4 x 5 factorial arrangement in a completely randomized design. The results revealed that both irrigation interval and stage of growth significantly affected leaf area and leaf area index, which were significantly (p<0.01) higher at milk stage with 8.57 t/ha, 188.1cm² and 37.62cm compared to other stages of growth respectively. Hard dough stage produces higher (p<0.01) number of tillers (24 tillers). The main effect of irrigation interval had significant influence on plant height, tillers and leaf to stem ratio. Plant height was found to be significantly higher (P<0.01) at every day irrigation (173.55cm). Number of tillers was also significantly higher (P<0.01) at every day and every other day irrigation (16.00 and 15.66) respectively. Leaf to stem ratio was significantly (P<0.01) higher at every day and every two days irrigation intervals (1.13 and 1.15) respectively. It was concluded that Sorghum almum could be produced using 1 to 3 days irrigation intervals and be harvested at the milk and soft dough stages for better growth and, higher dry matter yield and in the semi-arid zone of Gombe state, Nigeria. It was therefore recommended that famers irrigate at 1 – 3 day interval for better growth and harvest their forage at the aforementioned stages and feed to livestock for better dry matter intake and improved animal performance.