Effect of Time of Tapping on Raphia Hookeri Palm Wine Production and Sugar Content at Otegbo, Delta State, Nigeria

Effect of time of tapping on R. hookeri palm wine production was investigated at NIFOR Raphia Experimental Station, Otegbo, Ughelli South Local Government Area, Delta State, during the 2010 / 2011 and 2011 / 2012 cropping season with the view of determine the most appropriate time to tapped palm wine for bottled palm wine production. Tapping was done in the morning between 7 to 10 am and evening between 4 to 6 pm respectively. Data were collected on palm wine production (litres / palm), duration of tapping (number of days) and sugar content (%). Data collected were subjected to analysis of variance and descriptive statistics. Their means were compared using the Least Significant Differences (P<0.05). Result of the statistical analysis showed that time of tapping significantly influenced R. hookeri palm wine production. Palms tapped in the morning produced significantly higher palm wine than palm tapped in the evening. The duration of tapping and sugar content were not affected by time of tapping; however, duration of tapping significantly affected the palm wine production. The longer the duration of tapping the higher the palm wine produced. The least mean averaged palm wine produced (225.5 litres / palm) was obtained when the palm was tapped for 24 days, while the mean averaged highest (818 litres / palm) palm wine produced was obtained when the palm was tapped for 86 days.