EFFECT OF ROW SPACING, MINERAL AND ORGANIC FERTILIZERS ON YIELD AND GROWTH PARAMETERS OF PANICUM MAXIMUM ON FERRALITIC SOIL IN BENIN (WEST AFRICA)

This study proposes to evaluate the influence of the spacing row and NPK 15-15-15 fertilizer and goat manure on Panicum maximum seed production and fodder nutritive value harvested in south Benin on ferralitic soil from 2015 to 2017. The experiment was a factorial design comprising all combinations of 4 row spacings (20, 40, 60 and 80 cm) and 6 fertilizers: six levels of fertilizer: (F0) No goat manure (Control) (F1), 100 kg NPK 15-15-15, (F2) 20 t/ha goat manure, (F3) 15 t/ha goat manure, (F4) 10t/ha goat manure + 33kg NPK 15-15-15 and (F5) 5 tons + 66 Kg NPK/ha. Four replications were used in the experiment. The results showed that wider row spacing (60 cm) enhanced seed production in this experiment. Number of total tillers/tussock, fertile tillers/tussocks and spike length were significantly greater under the widest rows spacing (60 cm and 80 cm). The best seed yield got with row spacing 60 cm (392.1 kg.ha-1) and 45.5% of caryopses germinate after six months of storage against 14.5% for spikelet. Seed yield and its attributes increased significantly with NPK combined to goat manures (F4).