Evaluation of Agro-Climatological Instruments for Instructional Delivery of Agricultural Education in Colleges of Education in North-East Nigeria (Published)
The purpose of the study was to evaluate the agro-climatological instruments for instructional delivery of agricultural education in Colleges of Education in North-East Nigeria. The research design adopted was the survey design. Four research questions guided the study. The area of the study was North-East Nigeria. The population of the study was 185 comprising of lecturers of agricultural education. The instrument for data collection was a structured questionnaire tagged “Evaluation of Agro-climatological Instruments Questionnaire (EIAQ). The instrument was validated by three experts.185 copies of the instruments were administered on the respondents, 120 were retrieved and used for the study as it was a manageable size, therefore sampling was not required. The data collected were analyzed using descriptive statistical tools such as mean scores and standard deviation to answer the four research questions. The results of the study revealed that out of all the 17 agro-climatological instruments recommended for instructional delivery of agricultural education in Colleges of Education in Nigeria, 11 of them were available, 6 were adequate, 8 were functional and 6 were utilized by lecturers. It was recommended that proprietors of the institutions should make available and adequate all the agro-climatological instruments to the Colleges. Lecturers of agricultural education should attend conferences, workshops and seminars to update the skills and capabilities on instructional delivery with agro-climatological instruments.
Keywords: Evaluation, Instruments, agricultural education, agro-climatology, delivery
Evaluation of Different Rates of Poultry Manure on Soil Properties and Grain Yield of Maize (Zea Mays L.) in A Typic Haplustult in Abakaliki, Southeastern Nigeria (Published)
This study was carried out to evaluate different rates of poultry manure on soil properties and grain yield of maize in a typic haplustult at Teaching and Research Farm of Faculty of Agriculture and Natural Resources Management, Ebonyi State University, Abakaliki. The field was laid out in randomized complete block design with five treatments of poultry manure at 0, 10, 20, 30 and 40t ha-1 and replicated four times. Maize variety (Oba Super II) was used as a test crop. The soil properties and maize yield data were analyzed using analysis of variance (ANOVA). Results showed that different rates of poultry manure had significantly (P<0.05) higher total porosity and aggregate stability than control. The plot amended with 40t ha-1 of poultry manure had 16% lower bulk density and 14, 20 and 23% higher aggregate stability, total porosity and gravimetric moisture content compared to control. Different rates of poultry manure had significantly (P<0.05) higher organic matter (OM), available P, N and pH when compared to control. Organic matter, available P, N and pH were higher by 32, 21, 42 and 41% in plot amended with 40t ha-1 poultry manure compared to control. Furthermore, the plot receiving 40t ha-1 of poultry droppings had significantly (P<0.05) higher OM, available N, P, N and pH relative to plots amended with lower rates. Generally, organic matter, available P, N, pH and exchangeable bases of Calcium, magnesium, potassium and Sodium increased in the order of 40>30>20>10>0t ha-1 in the different rates of poultry manure. Grain yield of maize was 19, 17, 11 and 7% higher in plot amended with 40t ha-1 and plots amended with 10, 20 and 30t ha-1 of poultry manure when compared to control. Rates of poultry manure are necessary for improved soil properties but for profitable grain yield of maize, higher rates are recommended.
Keywords: Evaluation, Grain Yield of Maize, Poultry Droppings, Rates, Soil Properties
EVALUATION OF SIX CHINESE MAIZE (ZEA MAYS) VARIETIES IN THE HUMID TROPICAL ENVIRONMENT OF CALABAR, SOUTH-EAST, NIGERIA. (Published)
Six hybrid Chinese maize varieties with a local best were evaluated for their growth and yield performance with a view to adoption in South east agroecological zone of Nigeria. A Randomised Complete Block (RCBD) Design was used. The cultivars did not differ (p ≤0.05) significantly in some growth parameters, this included emergence percentage at 5DAP (days after planting), plant height at both 4WAP and 6WAP (weeks after planting). Tasseling and silking differed significantly, the exotic varieties tassled and silked better than the control at 8WAP and 10WAP respectively. The only significantly different yield parameters were the length and weight of undehusked cobs, circumference of dehusked cobs. The exotic varieties matured earlier than the control between 11 to 14WAP and 16WAP respectively. There was no significant difference in the grain yield between the maize varieties. The Chinese varieties did not show a marked difference in grain yield compared to the local
Keywords: Environment, Evaluation, Growth, Humid Tropics, Maize, Variety Trial, Yield