EVALUATING THE PERFORMANCE OF BAMBARA NUT (VIGNA SUBTERRANEA (L.) VERDC.) VARIETIES AS AFFECTED BY SOWING DATE IN KANO STATE

Bambara nut (Vigna subterranea (L.) Verdc.) is an underutilized indigenous African legume with high nutritional, economic, and ecological importance. Despite its adaptability to marginal soils and drought-prone environments, its productivity in Nigeria remains low, largely due to inappropriate agronomic practices, particularly improper sowing dates. This study was conducted to evaluate the effect of different sowing dates on the growth and yield performance of two Bambara nut varieties under the Sudan savanna conditions of Kano State, Nigeria. The experiment was carried out during the 2025 cropping season at the Teaching and Research Farm of Aliko Dangote University of Science and Technology (ADUSTECH), Wudil. The treatments consisted of two Bambara nut varieties (White and Red) and three sowing dates (15th June, 22nd June, and 29th June). The experiment was laid out in a Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with three replications. Data were collected on growth parameters including days to emergence, plant height, number of leaves per plant, and canopy spread, as well as yield parameters such as number of pods per plant, pod weight, and 100-seed weight. Data collected were subjected to Analysis of Variance (ANOVA), and treatment means were separated using the Least Significant Difference (LSD) test at 5% level of probability. The results revealed that sowing date significantly influenced all growth and yield parameters of Bambara nut. Early sowing on 15th June resulted in faster emergence, better vegetative growth, and higher yield components compared to later sowing dates. Delayed sowing, particularly on 29th June, led to significant reductions in growth and yield. The Red variety consistently outperformed the White variety in all measured parameters, indicating better adaptability and higher yield potential under the study conditions.