This experiment was carried out at student's experimental field, Kabba College of Agriculture, Horticultural Section to investigate the response of tomato variety (Roma F) yield to different mulch materials and staking. A split plot experiment was laid out in a randomized complete block design (RCBD) with three replications to randomize the staking levels and mulch materials in the main and sub-plots, respectively. The experiment comprised of two staking levels, i.e. stick staking (SST) and no-stick staking (NST) and six mulch materials, i.e. black polyethylene, white polyethylene, maize straw, palm fronts, grasses and no mulch. The parameters taken on soil physical and chemical properties are soil moisture content (%), soil temperature ( O C), soil pH, total nitrogen, available phosphorus and soil organic matter.Growth and yield parameters taken are as follows: average plant height, number of leaves, and number of fruits, stem girth, number of fruit per plant, fruit length, fruit diameter and yield per land area. Weeds were identified and their dry weights were measured. Data were collected from ten randomly selected plants in each plot. The data were statistically analyzed using GENSTAT. The analysis of variance (ANOVA) was performed to find out the significance of variation among the treatments while the significant difference between mean treatments were separated using Duncan's multiple range test (DMRT) at 5% level of probability. The result obtained from this study indicated that mulch materials and stick ISSN 2166-0379 2015 www.macrothink.org/jas 62 staking affect significantly growth parameters of tomato, yield per plant and yield per land area. The result also, indicated that plot mulch with black polythene performance best in terms of growth and yield and also improved soil physical properties better than either white polythene or organic mulch in the study area. It is therefore recommended that black polyethylene should be used as mulch materials for tomato production. However, better and stable fruit yield of tomato could be obtained with the practice of mulching in combination with staking. It is recommended that mulching should be carried out together with staking for higher fruit yield and black polyethylene should be use as mulch material in the study area. Journal of Agricultural Studies

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Experiments were carried out at the Research Site of Horticultural Section, Kabba College of Agriculture to investigate the influence of different nitrogen sources on the growth and yield of three varieties of okra. The experiment was laid out in split block design with varieties as main plots (Lady Finger "LF", LD88 and Okele (local cultivar)) and different nitrogen sources as sub plots (Urea (108.7 kgN/ha), poultry manure (PM) (3.01 t/ha = 108.7 kgN/ha) and cow dung (CWD) (3.83 t/ha = 108.7 kgN/ha). The treatment combinations were as follows LD88 + Urea, LD88 + PM, LD88 + CWD, LF + Urea, LF + PM and LF + CWD, Okele + Urea (108.7 kg/ha), Okele + PM and Okele + CWD. Growth parameters determined were plant height (cm), leafarea (cm 2 ), number of leaves produced, stem girth (cm), internode length (cm) and days to 50% flowering and podding. Flower characters taken were number of flowers produced per plant, number of flowers aborted per plant, and number of pods produced per plant. Yield characters determined were individual pod weight (g), pod length (cm), pod diameter (cm) and pod yield (t/ha). The data collected were subjected to analysis of variance (ANOVA) and means compared using the least significant difference (LSD) at a probability level of 5%. Urea application and poultry manure had significantly different effects compared with cow dung treated plots for the parameters of growth and yield. Highest mean value was observed with urea application. This was followed by poultry manure application. The cultivar Lady's finger performed better according to the data for number of pods and fresh pod weight. This was followed by the LD88 cultivars. Okra grew taller and had bigger stem girth, greater number of leaves, larger leaf area and higher number of pods and fresh pod weight with urea application. Cultivar Lady's finger performed better than the other cultivars in most meas-* Corresponding author. S. K. Ogundare et al.1142 ured parameters. It is therefore recommended that lady finger should be grown by farmers in the study area with their soil amended with urea fertilizer in the study area.

Field experiments were conducted at Horticulture Section of Kabba College of Agriculture to investigate the effects of different rates of cow dung manure on the growth and yield of three varieties of jute mallow. The experiment was a factorial, consisted of four levels of cow dung, which were 0 t/ha, 2.5 t/ha, 5 t/ha and 10 t/ha and three varieties of jute mallow which were Onyan, Angbadu and Oniyaya. The experiments were laid out in a randomized complete block design and replicated three times. Fifteen plants from each plot were randomly selected and used for the assessment of growth characters and fruit characters. Data collected were subjected to the statistical analysis of variance procedure while, the mean treatments were separated using least significant difference. The result shows that all the cow dung amended plots were significantly better than the control plots in terms of growth characters irrespective of the rate of its application. Among the cow dung rates, cow dung applied at 10 t/ha had the highest plant height, number of leaves,