Effects of Phosphorus on the Phenological Traits of Maize (zea Mays) in Yola North Eastern Nigeria.

This study was conducted during the 2000 and 2001 cropping seasons at the University Research Farm, Federal Universality of Technology, Yola to evaluate the effects of phosphorus on the phenological traits of maize (New Kaduna White) hybrid variety. There were eight treatments consisting of four levels of N, 0, 60, 120 and 180kgNha-1 and two levels of P, 0 and 60kgPha-1, replicated three times. The study was a factorial type fitted in a Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD). Phenological data collected were number of days to 50% tasselling, anthesis, silking and physiological maturity during the two cropping seasons. The study showed highly significant (P≤0.01) decreases in days to 50% tasselling, anthesis, silking and maturity for the 2000 and 2001 cropping seasons with the sole application of 60kgP-1. Furthermore, the mean performance of phenological parameters showed the shortest days to silking with the combined application of 120kgNha1 and 60kgPkgha-1, indicating that P application is critical for maize to show early phenological traits.