EFFECTS OF WATER APPLICATION ON THE YIELD OF SELECTED CROPS IN KATSINA STATE

Abstract

This study examined the effects of water application on the yield of tomato (Solanum lycopersicum), okra (Abelmoschus esculentus), and sesame (Sesamum indicum) across three agro-ecological zones in Katsina State, Nigeria. Field experiments were conducted using a randomized block design with eighteen 2×2 m plots per zone, divided into mulched and un-mulched treatments under three staggered planting periods (early, normal, and late). A uniform irrigation regime of 25 liters applied four times weekly was maintained, and crops were harvested after 90 days. Regression analysis was used to assess the relationship between water application and crop yield. Tomato recorded a strong positive correlation between water application and yield across all zones, particularly during the late planting period (r = 0.986–0.999), with a coefficient of determination r² = 0.998. Okra yielded higher in un-mulched plots across all three zones, achieving a perfect correlation coefficient of r = 1.000 during the early planting period. For sesame, while water application positively influenced yield in all zones, the central zone under mulched conditions recorded the weakest relationship (r = 0.191; r² = 0.036), indicating that mulched water application contributed only approximately 3.6% to sesame yield in that zone. Un-mulched plots in the same zone, however, returned a perfect positive correlation of r = 1.000. The study concluded that water quantity alone does not determine crop yield, as identical water applications under different cultivation practices produced yield differentials. Further research is recommended to clarify the role of climatic factors in influencing crop yield in the area.