1

PERFORMANCE AND PEST INFESTATION IN TWO WHEAT (Triticum aestivum L)

VARIETIES AS AFFECTED BY SOWING METHOD IN THE SUDAN SAVANNA
ECOLOGICAL ZONE OF NIGERIA

C.I. Oyewole1, M.D. Magaji2, and C.O. Muoneke3

1
Department of Crop Production, Faculty of Agriculture, Kogi State University
P.M.B. 1008 Anyigba, Kogi State
2
Department of Crop Science, Faculty of Agriculture, Usmanu Danfodiyo
University, P.M.B. 2346 Sokoto
3
Department of Crop Production, Faculty of Agriculture, Michael Opara University
of Agriculture, Umudike

ABSTRACT

The influence of three sowing methods (drilling, dibbling and broadcasting) on plant
establishment, yield and yield components, as well as stem borer and bird damage
were investigated in two wheat varieties in Sokoto, Nigeria. Data obtained revealed that
crop establishment was significantly influenced by sowing method in both cropping
seasons, but not by variety. Sowing method, however, did not influence other yield
determining components and yield significantly, nor did it influence stem borer
infestation and bird damage. There were no significant interactions between sowing
method and variety on all parameters measured. Contrary to previous observations, the
yield result obtained, showed that under similar agronomic conditions, broadcast wheat
plot could give comparable yield to that obtained in dibbled or drilled wheat. The
implication of this is that, farmers using broadcast method are not at a disadvantage
because reduction in plant establishment, as observed in broadcast wheat plot, may be
compensated by increase in tiller formation and other yield components.

Key words: Wheat, variety sowing method and pest infestation.

INTRODUCTION

Wheat is the world’s most important crop, covering about 237 million hectares annually

and accounting for 420 million tonnes (Olabanji et. al., 2004). It accounts for at least

one-fifth of man’s calorie intake. It is used in the production of bread, biscuits, feeds,

confectionary, and so on. Wheat has been cultivated in Nigeria for centuries (Olugbami,

et al., 1979). Olabanji et al. (2004) observed that ample evidence exist to show that

wheat has been cultivated in Nigeria as early as 200BC, although the currently
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cultivated varieties are relatively recent introduction. Ajayi (1983) observed that when a

crop is introduced into a foreign country, its survival depends both on its adaptability to

both biotic and abiotic factors. He emphasized that as it is not always possible to

accurately predict the outcome of the interaction between the new crop and local pests,

a programme for constant monitoring of the pest situation is usually beneficial. With

persistent calls to either abandon or reduce the use of pesticides on farms, an

investigation into appropriate cultural method (for example. sowing method) that will

adequately control or reduce pest incidents in wheat crop can not be over emphasized.

Domestic wheat production has remained at a very low level in spite of the ever –

rising demand for the crop. The constraints to the cultivation of wheat in most wheat

growing areas in Nigeria include climatic requirements, appropriate agronomic practices

and preference for the cultivation of vegetables (Ohiagu, et al., 1987). Development of

improved agronomic practices in respect of land preparation, planting, nutrition, water

management, crop protection, harvest and post harvest technology have been the

major areas where researchers have concentrated their efforts. In United Kingdom,

pressure on financial margin in wheat production is driving a review of all inputs, and

seed represents one of the largest financial inputs in wheat production. The potential of

saving through exploitation of crop ability to compensate for reduction in population,

which may be observed when different sowing methods are used are therefore

attractive and forms important research area (Whaley, et al., 2000; Li Zhang et. al.,

2007).

With a projected population of 137.86 million people in 1997 (Ohiagu, et.al.,

1987), wheat consumption in Nigeria was projected to reach 1.5 million metric tonnes,
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with domestic production lagging behind demands. Ten years later, the prospect of

meeting local wheat demands seem unlikely, with the demise of most river basin

development projects (Olabanji et al. 2004). Yet yields obtained on farmers plots have

often lagged behind world average. It has been stressed that the establishment of

adequate crop stand is a prerequisite for a successful crop and this depends on

seedling emergence, which may be affected by sowing method employed by farmers. It

has been generally observed that seed sowing is an important operation requiring,

utmost care. In early American history, wheat was sown broadcast (Kipps, 1983),

however, broadcasting has been observed to reduce plant establishment as seeds are

said to be lost to pests and unfavourable weather conditions. Consequently, high seed

rates have been recommended when seeds are broadcast in order to compensate for

seed loss. Presently in America almost all wheat is drilled. The main reason given for

drilling wheat was better germination, which resulted in higher stands compared to

broadcasting (Kipps, 1983). It was stressed that broadcasting even when followed by

harrowing or raking does not bring seed in perfect contact with the soil for adequate

water uptake. In Nigeria, sowing methods employed by farmers vary considerably from

area to area. In Kadawa, Kano State, the vast majority of the farmers broadcast their

seeds, while farmers in Ringim, Jakarade and Hedjia dibbled either on the ridge or on

the flat. It has been observed that the method of sowing employed by farmers is

basically determined by the available technology rather than by the expected yield.

If Nigeria must meet her demands for wheat, there is the need for improved

methods of wheat cropping and large scale production with ultimate focus on expected

yields. The general consensus is that establishing adequate plant stand is a prerequisite
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for a successful crop. Though better crop establishment and crop yield has been

reported when wheat is drilled compared to other sowing methods, however, wheat

drilling is an expensive technology in the form of labour requirements for drilling or

machinery employed in seed drilling. Thus, seed broadcasting or dibbling is prevalent

on farmers’ plots. This trial therefore assessed the implication of the different sowing

methods, drilling, dibbling and broadcasting on crop establishment, yield components

and yield of wheat and pest infestation using drilling as a yardstick. The objectives were

to determine the effect of sowing method on crop establishment, crop yield and yield

components and investigate the effect of sowing method on pest infestation in two

wheat varieties.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Trials were conducted in the dry seasons of 1996/97 and 1997/98 at Usmanu Danfodiyo

University Teaching and Research Fadama Farm at Kwalkwalawa village in Sokoto

(latitude 130101; 050151; 300m above sea level) to investigate the response of two

varieties of wheat to sowing methods. Treatments consisted of three sowing methods

(drilling at 30 cm apart, dibbling at 30 x 30 cm2 and even broadcasting of seeds) and the

wheat varieties (Seri 82 and Flourence aurore 8193). The experiment which was

conducted using a randomized complete block design was factorially laid out with four

replications. Gross plot size was 15 m2 and a seed rate of 120 kg/ha was used for each

variety. The crop was sown on 3Ost October 1996 and 30th November 1997,

respectively for the first and second trial and was harvested approximately five (5)

months after, in each year. The crop was irrigated from a tube well by the use of a
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motorized pumping machine. Irrigation was done at interval of about seven days during

the vegetative stage and five days from heading till plant maturity. Total of 19 irrigations

were given through out the experimental period. Harvesting was manually done using

sickles to cut the plants close to the soil surface.

Data collected included establishment count/m2, number of tillers/m2, number of

spikes/m2, spike length, number of spikelets/spike, number of seeds/spike, 1000 - grain

weight, grain yield/ha, number of plants damaged by birds and stem borer infestation as

indicated by white heads. Data on establishment count was taken at two weeks after

planting (WAP) using the average of three quadrat throws of size 30 x 30 m2. The same

procedure was followed in determining tiller formation at 6WAP and number of spikes/

m2, which was observed prior to crop harvest. Twenty randomly sampled spikes were

taken from each plot and used for the determination of number of seeds/spike. At

maturity, all plants in the net plot (10 m2) were manually harvested, bound and weighed

to give total dry matter yield per plot. This was manually threshed, winnowed and the

recovered grains weighed to obtain grain yield per plot. Three samples of 1000 grains

randomly obtained from top, middle and bottom of the container holding the yield, were

weighed to determine 1000-grain weight. For stem borer incidence, the mean of total

number of white heads in three quadrat throws were obtained for each plot. Percentage

stem borer infestation was calculated as proportion ratio of damaged plants to total

plants per plot expressed in percentage. The same procedure was followed for bird

damage, which was characterized by broken plant stem and picked heads.

Data generated were subjected to analysis of variance using micro-statistical

programming (MSTAT) (Michigan State University, 1985). Treatments found to be

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statistically significant at p<0.05) were compared using the Least Significant Difference

(LSD) (Gomez and Gomez, 1984).

RESULTS AND DISCUSION

The experimental site contained alluvial soil, which was generally fertile and

heterogeneous with low organic matter content. The soil had retained most of its

minerals as a result of minimal rate of leaching and weathering. The soil was

predominantly sandy loam. Results of preplanting soil analysis revealed the following:

pH (H2O), 6.3; organic carbon, 0.18%, total N, 0.05%; available P, 6.0 ppm;

exchangeable K 0.06 meq./100g. Meteorological data indicated a temperature range of

between 22.40C (February 1997) and 29.20C (April 1997) for the first trial and 21.0 0C

(in January 1998) and 28.3 0C in April 1998 for the second trial. Relative humidity was

lowest (19.9%) in February and highest in April (54.6%) for the first trial, while the

lowest relative humidity (26.5%) was observed in March and highest relative humidity

(48.0%) in April for the second trial.

Data for both cropping seasons (1996/97 and 1997/98) and the combined results

of two the seasons revealed that aside from crop establishment, which was affected (p<

0.05) by sowing method, other parameters measured were not influenced by variety and

sowing method (Tables 1, 2 and 3). Drilling resulted in significantly (p< 0.05) higher

wheat establishment compared to broadcasting, but not dibbling. For sowing methods,

the lowest mean establishment counts were observed in broadcast wheat. Rowland and

Whiteman (1993), Hay and Walker (1989), Kipps (1983), Chapman and Carter (1976)
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Table 1: Effect of sowing method on crop establishment, tiller formation, yield

components and grain yield of two wheat varieties in Sokoto, Nigeria in
1996/97 dry season

Treatment Establi No. of No. of Spike No. of No. of 1000- Grain

shment tillers spikes length spikelets/ seeds grain wt yield
/ / m2 / m2 (cm) spike /spike (g) (kg/ha)
m2
Variety

Seri 82 288 798 725 9.1 15 2 35 1885

Flourence 265 720 692 9.6 16 2 32 1656

LSD Ns Ns Ns Ns Ns Ns Ns Ns

Sowing method

Drilling 381a 782 751 9.3 16 2 32 1674

Dibbling 366a 710 655 8.7 14 2 29 1561

Broadcast 239b 726 701 9.4 17 2 34 1566

LSD 32.1 Ns Ns Ns Ns Ns Ns Ns

Interaction

VxS Ns Ns Ns Ns Ns Ns Ns Ns

Treatments within the same column followed by unlike letters are statistically significant
at p<0.05. Ns not significant, * significant
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Table 2: Effect of sowing method on crop establishment, tiller formation, yield

components and grain yield of two wheat varieties in Sokoto, Nigeria in
1997/98 dry season

Treatment Establi No. of No. of Spike No. of No. of 1000- Grain

shment tillers spike length spikelets/ seeds grain yield
/ / m2 s/ m2 (cm) spike /spike wt (g) (kg/ha)
2
m
Variety

Seri 82 257 728 712 9.5 16 2 36 1962

Flourence 253 711 702 10.6 16 2 34 1888

LSD Ns Ns Ns Ns Ns Ns Ns Ns

Sowing method

Drilling 271a 748 733 9.7 17 2 34 1764

Dibbling 256a 710 705 8.9 15 2 29 1424

Broadcast 226b 723 711 10.2 19 2 36 1558

LSD 22.1 Ns Ns Ns Ns Ns Ns Ns

Interaction

VxS Ns Ns Ns Ns Ns Ns Ns Ns

Treatments within the same column followed by unlike letters are statistically significant
at p<0.05. Ns not significant, * significant
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Table 3: Effect of sowing method on crop establishment, tiller formation, yield

components and grain yield of two wheat varieties in Sokoto, Nigeria
(combined data of two seasons)

Treatment Establi No. No. Spike No. of No. of 1000- Grain yield
shmen of of length spikelets seeds/s grain wt (kg/ha)
t/ tillers spike (cm) /spike pike (g)
m2 / m2 s/ m2
Variety

Seri 82 273 763 719 9.3 16 2 35.5 1923.5

Flourence 259 716 697 10.1 16 2 33.0 1772.0

LSD Ns Ns Ns Ns Ns Ns Ns Ns

Sowing method

Drilling 326a 765 742 9.5 17 2 33 1719

Dibbling 311a 710 680 8.8 15 2 29 1493

Broadcast 233b 725 706 9.8 18 2 35 1562

LSD 15.1 Ns Ns Ns Ns Ns Ns Ns

Interaction

VxS Ns Ns Ns Ns Ns Ns Ns Ns

Treatments within the same column followed by unlike letters are statistically significant
at p<0.05. Ns not significant, * significant
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observed that seed broadcasting reduced crop establishment. It has been stressed that

for germination to occur there is need for the seed to be in contact with the soil to

facilitate water imbibition. Broadcasting, even when followed by raking does not bring

seed into perfect contact with the soil for water imbibition (Kipps, 1983; Chapman and

Carter, 1976). The low plant establishment count observed in broadcast wheat plots

could also due to loss as a result of washing away by irrigation water coupled with loss

due to pests, particularly ants, which were observed to be picking up exposed wheat

seeds in broadcast plots. These factors coupled with seed losses due to dehydration

where seeds were not adequately buried may have accounted for the low germination

observed in broadcast wheat plots. Since wheat possesses the ability to tiller, and the

tendency for tillering increase with reduction in plant population (Kipps, 1983), the effect

of reduced establishment count in broadcast wheat plot was masked by high tiller

formation, greater spike length, more spikelets/spike and grain weight, resulting in a non

significant effect of sowing method on total grain yield per hectare. Graham and Ellis

(1980) observed that broadcast wheat plot could yield as high as drilled wheat under

similar agronomic conditions.

Studies reveal that wheat in Nigeria is attacked by crickets, harvester ants,

stemborers, termites, aphids, head and leaf sucking bugs, weaver and Quelea birds and

rodents. Losses due to pests and diseases have been known to range from 30 – 35 per

cent (Olabanji, et al., 2007). However, recorded pest incidence in this trial was below 3

per cent. The trial revealed significantly higher (p<0.05) white heads and percentage

bird damage in Fluorence aurora 8193 compared to Seri 82 (Table 4). The significant

effect of variety on stem borer infestation lends support to previous observations (Abate,
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Table 4: Effect of sowing method on stem borer infestation and bird damage in
two wheat varieties in Sokoto, Nigeria in 1997/98 dry season

Treatment Percent white head Percent bird damage

1996/1997 1997/ Combined 1996/1997 1997/ Combined
1998 1998
Variety

Seri 2.43b 1.94b 2.19b 0.38b 2.34b 1.36b

Flourence 4.56a 2.33a 3.45a 0.44a 2.45a 1.45a

LSD 0.892 0.121 0.116 0.121 0.003 0.012

Sowing method

Drilling 2.89 2.94 2.92 0.35 2.21 1.28

Dibbling 2.66 2.13 2.40 0.22 2.49 1.36

Broadcast 2.64 1.42 2.03 0.66 2.50 1.58

LSD Ns Ns Ns Ns Ns Ns

VxS Ns Ns Ns Ns Ns Ns

Treatments within the same column followed by unlike letters are statistically significant
at p<0.05. Ns not significant, * significant
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1993; Ashley, 1993; Falaki and Uvah, 1994) of a significant effect of variety on stem

borer incidence in wheat crop. Although insect pest is observed to be a major limiting

factor in crop production, whether grains, tubers, or legumes (Youdeowei and Service,

1995), however, the level of crop resistance is reported to vary between crops and

within crop varieties ((Abate, 1993; Ashley, 1993; Falaki and Uvah, 1994). The variation

in crop resistance to pest infestation within the same crop is demonstrated in the

observed result. While reporting on stem borer in rice (Jacquot and Courtois, 1993)

observed that some varieties are resistant to stem borer because of their physical

characteristics, which may be thick, woody tissues or lesser extent. They stressed that

the use of resistant varieties is a solution of particular interest to the farmer, as it does

not require of him additional work or investment.

The importance of bird as limiting factor to ripening and sprouting agricultural

crops have been stressed (Jacquot and Courtois, 1993). However, during the

experimental period percentage damage from stem borer were observed to be higher

that damage from bids (Table 4). The observation not withstanding, birds are still threats

to grains on the field (Jacquot and Courtois, 1993). When wheat is sown in the path of

migrating birds, the damage could be more devastating than stem borer damage,

particularly putting into consideration that it is much easier to breed against stem borer,

than breeding against birds. There was however, no significant effect of sowing method

on bird damage. There was no significant interaction effects between variety and

sowing method on all parameters measured.

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CONCLUSION

The results obtained on grain yield in this study indicated that farmers using any of the

sowing methods investigated may not be at a disadvantage as reduction in plant

establishment (as observed in broadcast wheat) may be compensated for by increase in

tiller formation and other yield components resulting in non significant differences in

observed yield. Since stem borer infestation was least favoured by seed broadcasting,

the sowing method may be used in areas where birds do not pose a threat to wheat

crop noting that broadcast gave the highest bird damage compared to other treatments.

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