The Interaction of Fertilizer Levels and Weeding Frequency on Growth and Yield of Roselle
Abstract
The study investigate the interaction of fertilizer level and weeding frequency on growth and yield of roselle in Yola , Adamawa State of Nigeria . It was observed from the results that all the parameters increased with increase in level of nitrogen fertilizer except number of days to first flowering and number of days to 50% flowering. For all the values of the parameters taken, the lowest was with treatment 0Kg/ha (control). This indicates that roselle performance increased with increased level of nitrogen fertilizer up to 150kgN/ha.
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Introduction
Roselle is a native to the world tropics probably in the East Indies; Hibiscus sabdariffa is extensively cultivated in tropical Africa, Asia, Australia and Central America (Schipers, 2009). It is cultivated for its fiber and edible calyx (Facciola, 1990). Roselle has been cultivated in Asia for over 300 years but now cultivated in many countries of the world (Tindal, 1993). It is susceptible to damage from frost and fog (Duke, 1983). The plant exhibits marked photoperiodism, not flowering at 19 hours, but flowering at 11 hours in the United States. Since flowering is not necessary for fibre production, long day light for 3-6 months is a critical factor. Today Roselle has a wide spread in the savannah region of Nigeria where it is cultivated.
Recently, Roselle also known as Jamaican sorrel is probably a native of West Africa and has been cultivated throughout India and part of Asia for centuries. Currently, it is grown throughout the tropics especially, Indonesia, Central eastern java, Indian, Bangladesh, Srilanka, Philippines and West indies. Roselle requires permeable soil, a friable sandy loam with humus. It will adapt to a variety of soil with pH value ranging from 4-5-8.0 (Duke, 1983). Roselle is suitable for tropical climates with well distributed rainfall of 1500-20130mm yearly. It tolerates a warmer and humid climate than kenaf (Hibiscus connabinus). It is shade tolerant and must be kept weed-free. It tolerates floods, heavy wind or stagnant water. Roselle is reported to tolerate annual temperature of 12.5-27.50C.
Conclusion
Weeding thrice treatment recorded the highest yield per hectare while zero frequency ranked the least the least. These results are in tandem with Aldrich (1984) who reported that weeding can increase the yield of calyx size of roselle plant. High number of calyx per plant was recorded in plot weeded thrice than plot with no weeding. This could be to the fat. That plants weeded thrice received more nutrients and light for their growth thereby producing more calyces. Similarly observed that application of nitrogen fertilizer significantly influenced number of pods produced per plant and number of seeds per pod in two years trial.
