SIMPLE CORRELATION BETWEEN STRIGA VIGOR AND GROWTH CHARACTERS OF SORGHUM TAKEN DURING THE 2018, 2019 AND 2020 RAINY SEASONS IN BAUCHI, BAUCHI STATE, NIGERIA

Abstract

Field experiment was conducted for three (3) years during the rainy seasons of 2018, 2019 and 2020 to study the productivity of sorghum as influenced by transplanted age and nitrogen rate on striga (Striga hermonthica L. Benth) infestation in Bauchi. The research was conducted at the Teaching and Research Farm of the Faculty of Agriculture and Agricultural Technology, Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University, Bauchi (10° 22' N and 9°47′ E) in the northern Guinea savanna ecological zone of Nigeria. The treatments consisted of transplanted age; 2, 3, 4 and 5 weeks after emergence in the nursery (WAE) with a control (direct seeded on the field) and five nitrogen levels; 0, 30, 60, 90 and 120 kg N/ha). The treatments were factorially combined and laid out in a Randomized Complete Block Design with three replications. In all the three seasons, sorghum seedlings were first raised in the nursery before being transplanted out to the field. Characters measured were plant height, number of leaves, stem girth, leaf area, leaf area index, crop growth rate, net assimilation rate and flag leaf area. Striga vigor was carried out based on visual observation using Striga vigor chart and Striga vigor score classes. Simple correlation between striga vigor and growth characters of sorghum indicated that significant and negative correlations exist.