Profitability of kenaf seed production as affected by different agronomic practices
2010
Agbaje, G.O.
Kenaf seed yield range from 80 to 3,000 kg ha-1 across different continents. To enhance the low seed productivity in rainforest tropical areas, an experiment was conducted in 2006 and 2007 at the Institute of Agricultural Research and Training, Ibadan (7o38’N, 3o84’E) to study the effect of different agronomic practices on growth, seed yield, control of major pests and profitability in kenaf production. Ifeken 400 cultivar was subjected to nine different agronomic practices including a control. The treatments are factorial combination of three factors viz: fertilizer rates, nematicide rates and insecticide spraying regimes, at two levels each. The results showed that plant height was significantly shorter and mid-stalk diameter smaller in the control than in the other treatments. Number of capsules per plant and 100 seed weight were not significantly different between the control and the other treatments but seed yield differed significantly between the treatments. The control had the lowest yield (429 kg ha-1) while the other treatments with higher yield ranged from 634 to 945 kg ha-1. Insect attack and nematode galling on roots were rated severe and very severe, respectively, in control treatment but were both mild under input dependent practices. Incidence of nematode was 60% in control but lesser than 40% in the other treatments. Economic analysis recorded a net income of N133,000 ha-1 from the control and the treatment with highest income was 56% better in income returns. Farmers’ in tropical rainforest will benefit if the required inputs and practices are adopted in kenaf seed production.
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