EFFECT OF SEED SOWING TYPE AND SEED RATE ON THE PRODUCTIVITY OF FONIO (Digitaria exilis L.) IN BOGORO, BAUCHI STATE, NIGERIA

Field experiment was conducted during the cropping seasons of 2017 and 2018 at the research farm of Bauchi State Agricultural Development Programme sub-zonal headquarters Bogoro, Bauchi State to determine the effect of seed sowing type and seed rate on the productivity of fonio (Digiteria exilis). The treatment consist of two seed sowing types (pure seed and seed mixed with sand) using broadcasting method and five different seed rates (50, 60, 70, 80 and 90kgha-1). The two seed sowing type and five seed rates were factorially combined and laid out in a randomized complete block design (RCBD) with three replications. Growth and yield characters studied were plant height, leaf area, stem diameter, number of leaves per plant, number of tillers per plant, days to 50% flowering, number of seeds per tiller, 1000-seed weight and seed yield (kg/ha). The results obtained showed that, the use of pure seed during seed sowing produced significantly (P< 0.05) taller plant, thicker stem diameter, wider leaves, higher number of tillers, higher number of seeds per tiller, heavier seed and seed yield (kgha-1) than when seeds were mixed with sand before sowing. The seed rates also differed significantly (P< 0.05) in all the growth and yield characters, where sowing of 50kg seed was observed to produce significantly (P< 0.05) higher number of leaves, tillers, seeds per tiller, seed weight and seed yield (kgha-1) than the rest of the treatments used. Sowing of 90kgha-1 on the other hand, produced the least seed yield. Growing the crop in 2018 rainy season was observed to produce significantly (P< 0.05) higher numbers of leaves, seeds per tiller and seed weight than 2017 rainy season. It therefore, became clear that sowing fonio seeds purely without sand at the rate of 50kgha-1 can be recommended to farners in the study area.