Productivity of Apple as Influenced by Rates of Nitrogen, Phosphorus and Irrigation Interval

Abstract

Field experiment was conducted on an established orchard of the Kaduna State Agricultural Development Project (KADP) at Maigana during the 1998- 2001 to evaluate the effect of nitrogen, phosphorus and irrigation interval on some selected growth attributes of apple. The treatments consisted of four levels of nitrogen (0, 60, 120 and 180 kg N h ^-1, three levels of phosphorus (0, 22 and 44) and irrigation intervals (3, 5 and 7 days). Treatments were laid out in a split plot design with factorial combination of nitrogen and irrigation interval allocated to main plots and phosphorus assigned to sub-plots and replicated three times. The result showed that application of nitrogen up to 180 kg N ha ^-1 resulted to taller plants with more branches and wider canopy as well as thicker stem and heavier fruit yield. Likewise, applications of phosphorus up to 44 kg P ha ^-1 resulted to taller plants, more branches, wider canopy, thicker stem and heavier fruit yield. There was inconsistency in response of the parameters to irrigation interval, however the yield responded up to 7 days irrigation interval. It can be concluded that for proper apple growth, application of 180 kg N ha ^-1 plus 44 kg P ha ^-1, with 7 days irrigation interval should be adopted.

Keywords: fruit yield, nitrogen, phosphorus, irrigation and nitrogen content