Growth Parameters as a Function of Sex Prediction in Telfaira occidentalis in Southern Nigeria

NMOR E.I AND OYEFIA V.E

Department of Agricultural Technology

Delta State Polytechnic, Ozoro, Delta State, Nigeria.

Email: nmoredith@gmail.com

ABSTRACT

The study on the growth performance as a function of sex determination was carried out in Delta State Polytechnic Ozoro between March – September 2005. There are two sexes of Telfairia which could be identified on the field. The need to identify Telfairia sexes at seeding necessitated this study. The seeds were separated into male and female using some predictive features like size and shape of the seeds. The identified males are large and flat while the female are small and oval in shape. These seeds were planted into Complete Randomized Design with three replications. The performances of the two identified sexes were accessed using growth parameters like seedling emergence, number of leaves, number of branches and plant height. Data was collected on the interval of two weeks. The results indicated that the identified male had better seedling emergence of 148 and 203 as against 110 and 175 for the female. However, the female had more number of branches of 12, 21:33, 31.33 and 31:67 as against 8.33, 12.00, 14.00 and 18.67 for the male. The number of leaves followed the same trend of the female having more leaves of 130.00, 156.00, 412.20 and 429.70 as against 108.00, 115.33, 323.40 and 338.40 for the male. For the plant height, the female had 179.60, 194.33, 250.00 and 259.67 as against 175.66, 176.66, 200.00 and 244.33. Conclusively, predicted female perform better than the male in terms of number of branches, leaves and plant height. It is therefore recommended that Telfairia farmers should use size and shape to identify Telfairia sexes at seeding so as to boost productivity.