DOI: 10.36347/sjavs.2015.v02i04.010

Pages: 319-323

Field trials were conducted at the Teaching and Research Farm of Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, Bauchi, Nigeria during the dry seasons of 2005/2006 and 2006/2007 to evaluate the performance of vegetable maize using cow dung. Treatments consisted of four application rates (0, 5, 10, and 15t/ha) of cow dung and three local varieties of vegetable maize, namely, Bataji, Choci and Dan-Bauchi. All treatments were factorially combined and laid out in a randomized split-plot design. Results indicated that growth and yield parameters and final yields, all increased significantly (P≤ 0.05) with additional rates of cattle manure. Application of 15 t/ha increased plant height by 24%, leaf area by 27% and fresh husked cob weight by 13% among other parameters. Irrespective of application rates, Bataji performed significantly better than Dan-Bauchi and Choci in most of the parameters with the exception of kernel density and 1000 seed weight where Choci perfomed significantly better than the other two varieties. The use of Bataji variety with 15 t/ha is therefore recommended for good performance of vegetable maize in Bauchi and its environs.