Nodulation, chlorophyll content and nitrogen yield of two woody legumes at Ile-Ife, Southwestern Nigeria

Abstract

Two field studies were conducted at the Teaching and Research Farm, Obafemi Awolowo University, Ile-Ife, Nigeria between 2000 and 2002 to compare the growth, nodulation, chlorophyll content and nitrogen accumulation of Leucaena leucocephala (Lam) de Wit cv. 28 and Gliricidia sepium (Jacq.) Walp cv. ILG50 at the early stages of growth (2-16 months after planting) (MAP) without inputs. A randomized complete block design with three replications and the species as treatments was used. Between 8 and 16 MAP, the biomass yield of G. sepium (5.10 kg/plant) was higher than that of L. leucocephala (1.35 kg/plant). The number of nodules produced by G. sepium (96.0/plant) was higher than in L. leucocephala (44.0/plant). Fresh weight of nodules of G. sepium (41.30 g/plant) was higher than in L. leucocephala (18.9 g/plant). Similarly, dry weight of G.sepium (18.5 g/plant) was greater than that of L.leucocephala (7.6g/plant) throughout the period of study. Nodulation index of G. sepium (5.5%) was higher than that of L. leucocephala (3.7%) at 4 and 8 MAP. At 12 and 16 MAP, leaf total chlorophyll content of G. sepium was 6.12 µM/g and significantly (P Keywords : Chloropyhll; G. sepium; L. leucocephala; nodulation index Moor Journal of Agricultural Research Vol. 7 (1&2) 2006 pp. 76-84