EFFECT OF NEEM KERNEL (Azadirachta indica A Juss) POWDER ON THE GROWTH AND DRY MATTER YIELD OF MAIZE (Zea mays L.) IN SAVANNAH ECOLOGICAL ZONE OF NIGERIA

A Greenhouse experiment was conducted to evaluate the effect of powdered neem (Azadirachta indica A Juss) kernel on the growth and dry matter yield of maize (Zea mays L.). Three soil textural classes, namely: loamy sand (LS), sandy clay loam (SCL) and clay (C) soils in Bauchi State, a savannah ecological zone of Nigeria were used for the study. For each soil, 18 samples of 4 kg each contained in 5 litre plastic pots were used. Maize (Zea mays L) variety TZ-DMR was the test crop and all except absolute control pots received 100kgN, 50 kg P2Os and 50 kg K20 per hectare along with the Neem kernel powder treatment corresponding to 0, 2.5, 5.0, 7.5 and 10.0 % of the applied urea. Plant heights were measured at intervals of four days starting from 13th to 45th days after sowing (DAS). Dry shoot and root weights of the plants and their respective N contents were determined at the end of the experiment (45 DAS). Results of the study have shown that between 17 and 41 DAS, Neem kernel powder treatments did not significantly affect plant height in all the soils. At 45 DAS, however, Neem treatment significantly (p