EFFECT OF DIFFERENT RATES OF PARKIA LEAF LITTER (PARKIA BIGLOBOSA) AND POULTRY MANURE ON SELECTED GROWTH PARAMETERS OF MAIZE (ZEA MAYS L.) AT AFAKA KADUNA, NIGERIA

A field experiment was conducted at the experimental site of Crop Production Technology Department during 2017 and 2018 rainy seasons at Federal College of Forestry Mechanization, Afaka Kaduna to study the effect of rates of Parkia biglobosa leaf litter and Poultry manure on growth parameters namely shoot girth, plant height, leaf area, number of leaves and yield of Maize (Zea may L). The trial consisted of seven treatments, combination of both Parkia biglobosa leaf litter and Poultry manure at the ratio of 1:1, 2:1, 3:1 and 4:1 respectively, and three other treatments as soil + Parkia leaf litter alone, soil + poultry manure alone and soil alone. The field was laid out in a Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) and replicated three times. The selected growth parameters namely shoot girth, plant height, leaf area and number of leaves were observed and readings taken at 3, 6, 9 and 12 WAP respectively. The yield and yield components such as cob length, number of seed per cob, cob weight, 100 seed weight and grain yield were also observed and reading taken after harvesting The data obtained were subjected to Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) using SAS, means were separated using Duncan Multiple Range Test (DMRT). The result obtained from the analysis showed that treatment combination of Parkia biglobosa leaf litter + Poultry manure at ratio 4:1 performed better with respect to the selected growth parameters namely shoot girth, plant height, leaf area and number of leaves than 3:1, 2:1, 1:1, and all other treatments. Similarly the result obtained from the analysis also showed that treatment combination of Parkia biglobosa leaf litter + Poultry manure at ratio 4:1 performed better and produced yield and yield components such as cob length, number of seed per cob, cob weight, 100 seed weight and grain yield than 3:1, 2:1, 1:1, and all other treatments The study therefore recommends that incorporation of tree leaf litter and poultry manure into farm land should be encouraged among the farmers in Afaka environs to ameliorate the soil for improved growth rate in maize plant which in turn will enhance greater yield of maize to the farmers.