Effect of Plant Population on the Growth and Yield of Mucuna Flagellipes (Vogel ex Hook) in an Ultisol, South Nigeria

The effect of plant population on the growth and yield Mucuna flagellipes (Vogel ex Hook) was conducted for two cropping seasons (2013 and 2014) in the Teaching and Research farm, Department of Agronomy, Cross River University of Technology Obubra, Cross River State. The experimentwas laid out in a randomized complete block design (RCBD). Treatments comprised four plant populations of 33,333, 16,666, 10,000 and 8,333 plants/ha and there were three replications. Data collected were statistically analyzed using Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) procedure for a randomized complete block design. Close spacing with high plant population significantly (p < 0.05) reduced the number of leaves, branches and dry matter of plant fractions per plant. The longest vine of 594.1 and 651.3cm and leaf area index of 7.462 and 7.609 were produced in plant population of 33,333 plants/ha at 24 WAP in 2013 and 2014 cropping seasons respectively. Pod and seed yield per plant were higher in plots with the least plant population of 8,333 plants/ha as compared with other higher plant population of 33,333 and 16,666 plants/ha. The highest Mucuna flagellipes seed yield of 2.85 and 2.91 tons/ha were produced from plots with 33,333 plants/ha in 2013 and 2014 cropping seasons.