EFFECT OF COW DUNGS RATE AND SASAKAWA TECHNOLOGY ON THE PERFORMANCE OF MAIZE (ZEA MAYS) IN MUBI GUINEA SAVANNAH OF NIGERIA

This experiment was carried out during 2019 cropping season to evaluate the effect of cow dung rates and Sasakawa technology on the performance of maize in Mubi, Northern Guinea Savannah at Food and Agricultural Organization Tree/Crop production farm Adamawa State University, Mubi. The trial was laid out in Randomized Complete Block Design replicated three times. Data was collected on fifteen characters namely: Number of leaves at 3,6 and 9 weeks after sowing also Plant height at 3,6 and 9 weeks after sowing, Cob length, Number of row per cob, Number of seed per row, Cob diameter, Cob yield, Shelling percentage, Grain weight, Grain yield and 100 Grain weight. Results showed a non-significant difference for all the fifteen (15) traits of maize T1 but T4 have better performance. Also, NL3 and NL6, T3, T4 and T5 outperformed in terms of yield, NL3 showed a highly significant positive correlation with NL6, NL9, PH3 and PH6. Cob yield also has slightly and significantly correlation with NL6, CL and NS/R. The treatments respond to variations in the rates of cow dung application during the trial period. As highly significant and positive correlation was observed for NL3, NL6, NL9, PH3, PH6, and PH9 indicating differences in the treatments applied. The experiment revealed that treatment T1, T4 and T1, T4 for NL3, and NL6 gave highest performance than other treatments, followed by T1 and T4 for NL9 which also did well in that order respectively. Cob yield was observed to performed better in T3, T4 and T5. That translates to a very good grain yields in T3 (27kg/ha-1), T4 (16.20kg/ha-1) and T5 (20kg/ha-1). This might be due to the rates of cow dung applied on these treatments. Hence, it is therefore recommended based on the results of the study to use these range of cow dung in the study area.  Further research is also recommended to be done in this area for adoption by farmers.