Effects Of The Root Debris Of <i>Tithonia Diversifolia</i> On The Growth Of Zea Mays In South-Western Nigeria
Keywords:
Residue, dry weight, fresh weight, humus, allelopathic, cultivated cropsAbstract
This study investigated the allelopathic effect of Tithonia diversifolia root debris on the growth of Zea mays. Three hundred grams of ground dried roots debris of Tithonia diversifolia were added to plastic pots containing humus soil. The pots with no Tithonia diversifolia root residues were included as controls. The seeds of Zea mays were sown in the pots which were laid out in a completely randomized design. Results showed that the shoot lengths of the test crop were significantly enhanced by the root debris of Tithonia diversifolia. However, the root length of the test crop planted in the soil treated with root debris was significantly lower than those of the control regime. It was suggested that Tithonia diversifolia plant residues could be incorporated into soil to enhance the growth of cultivated crops.
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