EFFECT OF WATERLOGGING DURATION ON GROWTH OF MAIZE ACCESSION FROM NORTH WEST NIGERIA .

ABSTRACT

This experiment was conducted to evaluate the maize accession obtained from North West, Nigeria in other to screen for the genes that are tolerant to waterlogging. This experiment was carried out in a screen house in the Faculty of Agriculture, University of Benin, Nigeria. There were 6 accessions, 3 waterlogging treatment; no water logging (NWL), waterlogging at 2 weeks after planting (3LS) and waterlogging at 4 weeks after planting (5LS) and 3 replications. The experiment was laid out as a split plot in a completely randomized design (CRD). The accessions were the main plots while the waterlogging treatment levels were the sub plot. Data were collected at 6 weeks after planting. From the data obtained, the different waterlogging treatments reduced the maize growth parameters (Number of leaf, leaf area, plant heigh and survival rate). Plants were most susceptible to damage when waterlogging occurred at 3LS. Plants with NWL had the highest number of leaf, leaf area, plant height and high survival rate. At the end of experiment, six accession from Kano, Kaduna, Kastina, Kebbi, Jigawa and Sokoto survived waterlogging imposition for four (4) weeks from three leaf stage (3LS) corresponding to 2 weeks after planting. Hence, the plants can be nutured to maturity and to explore the possibility of obtaining selfed seeds for further screening and selection of waterlogging resistant/tolerance accessions from North west Nigeria. Such would form baseline genotype for breeding work for tolerance to waterlogging.