Most of southern parts of Nigeria normally receives high annual rainfall. Even under best management practices, approximately 30-50% of applied nitrogen is lost through leaching thereby making it unavailable during the critical stages of crop growth. The objective of this research was to investigate the optimum rates of Nitrogen fertilizer and Nitrogen split application that will support maximum growth, yield and quality of turmeric. Field experiments were conducted in 2016 and 2017 in the research farm of Cross River University of Technology, Obubra. Treatments consisted of five Nitrogen rates (0, 50, 100, 150 and 200 kg N ha-1) and five Nitrogen split applications (Sp1; Sp2; Sp3; Sp4 and Sp5)). The experiment was laid out in split plot design with three replicates. Growth and yield attributes were significantly (P<0.05) affected by Nitrogen rates and Nitrogen split application. The fresh and dry rhizome yield, oleoresin content and essential oil content were highest at 200 kg N ha-1and 150 kg N ha-1 in three equal split application (SP3) in both years.
Keywords: Turmeric, nitrogen fertilizer rate, rhizome yield., split application
