Comparative Analysis of Cocoyam Varieties on Yield under Irrigation in Kano State, Nigeria

Abstract

This study was carried out to compare the growth rate and yield of Xanthosomasagittaifolium and Colocasiaesculenta cultivated under irrigation with NPK 15:15:15 fertilizer application at the rates of (100kg) and cow dung at the rate of 20t/ha respectively at two different locations. This was aimed at identifying growth rate and tuber yield potentials of the cocoyam cultivars on different experimental condition. The two locations used for the study were the Agricultural Education Research Farm; Federal College of Education (Tech) Bichi and Watari Irrigation Scheme site along Bichi-Bagwai and Gwarzo road. The two cultivars cultivated were replicated at both sites. The result showed that application of NPK 15:15:15 fertilizer increased growth rate (height and leaf size) of Xanthosomasagittaifolium with a mean value of 39.66 and 31.94, while the tuber yield has a mean value of 2.23 at WatariIrrigation Scheme respectively. Also, Colocasiaesculenta cultivated at Agricultural Education Research Farm with organic manure application has a higher tuber yield mean value of 1.98 than those at WatariIrrigation Scheme. The highest tuber yield of Xanthosomasagittaifolium was realized in response to the application of 100kg/ha NPK fertilizer application. Further increases above these rates in the locations caused non-significant decline in tuber yield. However, Colocasiaesculentacultivated at Imane(Major Producing Area) with organic manure application yielded better than those cultivated at WatariIrrigation Scheme with organic manure application under irrigation. The study concluded that both Xanthosomasagittaifolium and Colocasiaesculentacan be cultivated under irrigation. It was recommended that these cocoyam cultivars should be made available to farmers for trial and subsequent adoption through collaboration with extension agents. This will on the long run contribute to enhance and promote food security in Kano State and Nigeria at large.