Journal of Agriculture
and Environmental Sciences

Response of Lowland Rice to Biofertilizesr Inoculation and their Effects on Growth and Yield in Southwestern Nigeria
Segun Oladele, Moses Awodun

Abstract
Low input technology through the use of biofertilizers in rice has increased due to their potential as plant growth regulator and ability to increase yield on an economical and sustainable basis. Field trials were conducted at the Federal University of Technology, Akure during the dry season of 2012/2013 in the tropical rainforest agro-ecology of south west Nigeria. The objective was to investigate the response and performance of some selected lowland rice varieties to the application of biofertilizers. A 5 x 3 factorial experiment was conducted; five lowland rice varieties selected with and without the application of biofertilizer (mycorrhizae and rhizobium), laid out in split plot arrangement, with mycorrhizae and rhizobium in the main block, while variety was in the sub-plot. Each treatment was replicated three times. Result show significant (P < 0.05) effect of biofertilizer inoculation observed on vegetative, reproductive growth and development parameters in the order + biofertilizers > - biofertilizers. There was no significant (P > 0.05) varietal variability on grain yield/ha. N-L-19 recorded higher grain yield (6090t/ha), higher panicle/m2 (111.63), highest filled spikelet (567) and highest grain weight (32.8g).

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