Effect of Plant Spacing in the Nursery on the Production of Planting Materials for Field Establishment of Vetiver Grass
2003
Jimba, SC. | Adedeji, AA.
A study was conducted between June and October, 2001, at the Teaching and Research Farm of the University of Ibadan (7° 24' N, 3° 54' E), Nigeria, to evaluate the effect of plant spacing in the nursery on the growth of vetiver grass (Vetiveria zizanioides L.) so as to determine the optimum plant spacing in the nursery for the production of planting materials for field establishment. Four spacings, 20 x 30 cm2, 15 x 40 cm2, 20 x 40 cm2 and 40 x 40 cm2, were replicated four times and laid out in a randomized complete block design. Treatment plots measured 4 m x 4 m. Per stand, two vetiver tillers were planted on flat seedbeds. Parameters assessed included plant height, dry matter yield and tiller production. Shoot, root and total plant dry matter and tiller count were measured at 16 weeks after planting (WAP). Spacing had no effect (P< 0.05) on plant height but impacted very significantly (P< 0.01) on root, shoot and total plant dry matter production, which increased with wider spacing. In a spatial context, dry matter yield per hectare was least in the widest spacing. Spacing had no effect (P< 0.05) on number of tillers produced per planted tiller (multiplication rate) but it had a very significant effect (P< 0.01) on the number of tillers produced per unit area. The closest spacings, 20 x 30 cm2 and 15 x 40 cm2, which gave the highest number of tillers per hectare (203.3 x 104 and 196.7 x 104, respectively), were recommended for production of planting materials in the nursery.
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