EFFECT OF SOIL WATER CONSERVATION TECHNIQUES ON THE GROWTH AND YIELD OF MAIZE (Zea mays L) IN LAFIA, NASARAWA STATE, NIGERIA

Water conservation practices are used in crop production for enhancing soil water storage especially when there are fluctuations in rainfall under rain-fed cropping. This study was carried out to evaluate the effect of soil moisture conservation techniques on the growth and yield of maize under rain-fed condition. Four treatments were laid out in a Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) and replicated three times. The treatments were; conventional ridge, tied ridge, soil bund and film mulch. Data on growth parameters and yield were collected and tested using analysis of variance (ANOVA) using Gen-stat Edition 3. The differences among the treatments were determined using least significant difference (LSD). The results showed that tied ridge recorded the highest plant heights (56.80 and 150.00 cm) at 6 and 8 WAS, number of leaves (6.73 and 12.47) at 4 and 8 WAS, and highest value (9000.00 kg) of yield as compared to the other treatments with soil bund performing least averagely. It can be concluded that tied ridge performed better with highest values of the growth parameters.