Effect of manure placement methods on dry matter partitioning pattern in three <i>Musa</i> genotypes grown in a humid agro-ecology of southern Nigeria

Abstract

The fertility status and available nutrient of a growth medium influence accumulation of photo-assimilate and the pattern of partitioning. An earlier screen-house study at International Institute of Tropical Agriculture (IITA), we reported significant effect of manure placement methods on growth analysis of 'PITA 14 '. In current study, the effects of these placement methods on the dry matter partitioning of three Musa genotypes ('BITA 3 ', 'PITA 14 'and 'PITA 23 ') in a field study was investigated. The treatments were full dose of poultry manure (20t/ha) placed at the surface of soil - top dressing (T1), full dose of poultry manure applied as base placement before planting-bottom dressing (T2), split combination of T1 and T2 - halfdose of the manure placed as bottom dressing and the other half as top dressing (T3)), inorganic fertilizer (urea) (T4) and no fertilizer application (T5) as the control. This was laid out as a 3 x 5 factorial in a randomized complete block design. Results indicated that the harvest index and fruit edible proportion were highest in T1, though statistically similar to T2 and T3, the effect of T1 was significantly differentfrom T4 and T5. The treatment T3 enhanced the partitioning of the highest dry matter to above ground plant component. Similarly, T3 specifically enhanced dry matter partitioned to pseudostem and leaves in 'BITA 3 ' and dry matter partitioned to fruits in 'PITA 14 '. While 'PITA 14 ' partitioned most of its dry matter to the edible component, 'BITA3' partitioned most of the photo-assimilates to the pseudostem and leaves. These results substantiated the earlier screen-housefindings on manure placement in plantain.