RESPONSE OF PLUMED COCKSCOMB (Celosia argentea (L.) TO NITROGEN AND PHOSPHORUS FERTILIZER APPLICATION ON GROWTH AND SEED YIELD IN SOUTHERN GUINEA SAVANNA OF NIGERIA

Response of plumed cockscomb Celosia argentea (L) to nitrogen and phosphorus on growth and seed yield was investigated at the Garden of Kwara state College of Education, Ilorin, in 2010 and 2011. The experiment was laid out in a randomized complete block design replicated four times. The trial consisted of factorial combination of five levels of Nitrogen (0, 30, 60, 90 and 120 kg N ha-1) and four rate of phosphorus (0, 20, 40 and 60 kg P2O5 ha-1). It was observed that nitrogen at 90 kg ha-1significantly influenced growth parameters and seed yield whereas phosphorus application 60 kg ha-1significantly increased growth and seed yield. The results revealed that nitrogen at 60 kg ha-1 and phosphorus at 40 kg ha-1 could be used in combination to produce seed yield of celosia in southern guinea savanna of Nigeria.