ASSESSMENT OF RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN BIOMASS AND YIELD OF CUCUMBER (CUCUMIS SATIVUS L.) CULTIVATED IN OWERRI, IMO STATE, NIGERIA
Authors: Anyanwu Daniel Chimeriri and Unaegbu Adaobi Daian
Anyanwu Daniel Chimeriri: Department of Crop Science and Biotechnology, Faculty of Agriculture, Imo State University, Owerri. Imo State, Nigeria.
Unaegbu Adaobi Daian: Department of Crop, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Agriculture and Environmental Sciences (UAES), Umuagwo, Imo State, Nigeria.
ABSTRACT
This study assessed the relationship between biomass accumulation and yield of cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.) cultivated in Owerri, Imo State, Nigeria. The study was conducted during the 2021 cropping season at the Teaching and Research Farm, Faculty of Agriculture and Veterinary Medicine, Imo State University, Owerri. The objective was to determine the relationship between cucumber biomass and yield and to evaluate the extent to which variations in biomass influence fruit production. Field data were collected on growth and yield parameters including number of leaves, number of fruits, fruit weight, and fruit yield. Data collected were analyzed using regression and Pearson Product Moment Correlation (PPMC) analysis with Statistical Package for Social Sciences (SPSS) Version 22.0. The results showed that biomass had a positive and statistically significant influence on cucumber yield. Regression analysis revealed that biomass explained 29.5% of the variation in number of fruits produced (Adjusted R² = 0.295; F = 7.106; p < 0.05). The regression coefficient further indicated that increases in biomass resulted in corresponding increases in fruit production. Correlation analysis showed a positive and significant relationship between biomass and cucumber yield (r = 0.462; p < 0.05), while a stronger positive association (r = 0.684) was observed among biomass, fruit number, and fruit weight. The study concluded that increased biomass accumulation enhances vegetative growth, improves photosynthetic efficiency, and promotes assimilate allocation toward fruit development, resulting in improved cucumber yield. Therefore, agronomic practices that enhance biomass production should be encouraged to improve cucumber productivity under the agro-ecological conditions of Owerri, Imo State, Nigeria.
Keywords: Biomass, cucumber, fruit yield, regression analysis, correlation, vegetative growth, Owerri.