GROWTH COMPONENTS, FORAGE AND SEED YIELD OF VELVET BEAN (Mucuna pruriens) AS AFFECTED BY PIG MANURE RATES AND IRRIGATION INTERVALS IN NIGERIAN SAVANNA

A study was conducted to determine the effects of graded levels of pig manure rates and irrigation frequency on growth components, forage and seed yield of Velvet bean (Mucuna pruriens). The experimental design was a split plot fitted into a Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD), replicated three times. Treatments consisted of graded levels of pig manure application rates (0, 9 and 18 t / ha) and three irrigation frequencies (2,4 and 6 days intervals). Results indicated that tallest plant, (112.44cm) (P<0.05), more leaves (107.75) were obtained when pig manure was applied at 18 t / ha and irrigated at 6 days irrigation interval, which was at per with result applied 9 t / ha at 4 days irrigation interval. However, the leaf area index (LAI) did not differ (P>0.05) with increase in irrigation interval. Also, the heaviest (P<0.05) fresh and dry forage yields (9.22t/ha vs. 6.66t/ha) were observed when pig manure was applied at 18 t / ha, at irrigation interval of 6 days, which was at per with applied 9 t /ha and 2 days irrigation interval. For seed production, irrigation interval of 2 days produced the highest (P<0.05) yield (2.98t/ha), when pig manure was applied at the rate of 9 t / ha. It was therefore concluded that pig manure could be applied to Mucuna pruriens forage at 9 t / ha at irrigation interval of 4 days, for better growth components. However, for forage yield and seed production, 9t/ha of pig manure and 2 days irrigation interval produced the best result in Northern Guinea savannah of Nigeria.