Enhancing Growth and Yield of Heading Cabbage (Brassica Oleracea l.) through Ethrel Priming in Southern Guinea Savanna

A field experiment was conducted between October 2023 and February 2024 at the Crop Section of the Teaching and Research Farm, Joseph Sarwuan Tarka University PMB 2373 Makurdi, Nigeria, to evaluate the growth, yield, and head formation of cabbage as influenced by ethrel priming in Makurdi. The experimental treatments consisted of cabbage seeds (Gloria var) grown under four ethrel priming concentrations: 0 ml, 10 ml, 20 ml, and 30 ml per litre of water, laid out in a completely randomized design (CRD) replicated three times in a shade house. Data were subjected to analysis of variance (ANOVA) using GENSTAT statistical software (v17.1DE, 2015), and significant means were separated using Fisher’s least significant difference (F-LSD) at 5% probability. Results of the study revealed that cabbage seed primed with ethrel at 20 ml/L produced significantly higher plant height, number of leaves, head diameter, yield, and harvest index compared to 10 ml and 30 ml/L, while 0 ml/L recorded the lowest values. Increasing ethrel beyond 20 ml/L reduced performance. Therefore, seed priming with 20 ml/L ethrel is recommended for optimal cabbage (Gloria var) growth and yield in Makurdi. The cultivation of cabbage (Gloria var) under controlled environments such as shade house is recommended for cabbage farmers in Makurdi
with high temperature and solar radiation effects.

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