The trials were conducted in 2010 and 2011 rainy seasons at Usmanu Danfodiyo University, Sokoto Teaching and Research Dry Land Farm, Dundaye, Nigeria to determine the effects of variety and nitrogen levels on performance of  (SOSAT c-88 and Zango millet varieties). Data collected were on Stand count, tiller count, plant height and panicle length. Others included panicle weight and grain yield. All data collected were subjected to analysis of variance (ANOVA). The results SOSAT c-88 and Zango millet indicated that millet varieties have no significant effect on both stand and tiller production throughout the sampling periods though nitrogen levels has significant on tiller production at 6 weeks after planting of both 2010 and 2011 cropping seasons. Panicle length was affected by millet varieties and nitrogen levels in both cropping seasons. Improve millet variety Sosat c-88 gave higher grain yield while 80 kg ha-1 and 120 kg ha-1produced significant higher millet grain yield hence should be practiced. Doi: 10.28991/HEF-2020-01-04-04 Full Text: PDF

The paper looks at estimation of the agronomic efficiency (AE) for various crop mixtures at varying levels of fertility management. To evaluate the concept, three trials using different cropping patterns and fertility rates were reviewed by calculating and comparing the relative yield and agronomic efficiency of the main crop. AE was higher in the mixtures compared to the sole crop in all the trials, and in the mixtures while efficiency between the control and the fertility levels employed were high, those between the fertility levels were not as high and increased at a reducing rate, sometimes tending to be constant. These responses gave rise to situations similar to a quadratic response and could therefore permit for optimum fertility levels for crop mixtures to be predicted. This therefore means that sustainable intensification is possible under small scale production systems as increase in efficiency was higher at lower fertilizer rates compared to the higher rates. Assessment of AE for crop mixture could also result in staggered recommended production practices, thus discouraging the excessive use of fertilizers – chemical or organic – and cut cost of production, reduce the pollution of the environment with its attendant consequences while production costs could be within reach of the small scale farmers. Small scale family farmers seeking alternative methods of soil fertility management could be encouraged to undertake the clipping/thinning management of companion leguminous crops as such measures could enhance their productivity as the estimation of AE has shown in these investigations. The practice of either clipping or thinning of the leguminous companion crop is similar or close to current production practices employed by these farmers and therefore should not be difficult to adapt and adopt.