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Main Article Content
EFFECT OF PLANT SPACING ON GROWTH AND YIELD COMPONENTS OF AFRICAN EGG PLANT (Solanum macrocarpon) IN THE NORTHERN GUINEA SAVANNAH OF NIGERIA
Abstract
Field experiments were conducted to determine the effect of plant spacing on growth and yield of African
eggplant (Solanum macrocarpon) at the Teaching and Research farm of the Institute of Agricultural Research,
Ahmadu Bello University (IAR/ABU) Zaria, Kaduna State in 2017 and 2018 cropping seasons. The experiment
consists of five treatments (plant spacing of; 80 × 30cm, 80 × 50cm, 100 × 50cm, 100 × 60cm and 120×70cm inter
and intra-row). Data were collected on both growth and yield parameters. Results showed that close row spacing
of 80cm × 30cm significantly reduced number of leaves per plant, number of branches per plant, short plant and
wider leaf area. Plant spacing of 120cm × 70cm gave higher growth parameters (number of leaves and branches,
plant height and leaf area). Yield and yield components of African eggplant (32.4 and 35.3 for number of fruit per
plant, 212.4 and 247.0 for fresh fruit weight and 16.1 and 15.1t/ha for fresh fruit yield in 2017 and 2018
respectively) were obtained at spacing of 120 × 70cm. Based on the findings of this study, eggplant should be
cultivated at a spacing of 120cm × 70cm (inter and intra-row spacing) for optimum growth and fruit yield in
Zaria, Northern Nigeria.
