Abstract

The experiments were carried out during 2013 and 2014 dry seasons under irrigation at Gwallaga Mayaka fadama farm of Bauchi local government area which is located between longitudes 9° 00’ and 10° 30’ N and latitudes 9° 30’ and 10° 30 ’E, Bauchi State Nigeria. The study was initiated to evaluate the performance of tillage operations, sowing methods and poultry manure on the growth and yield of spring wheat (Triticum aestivum). The treatments comprised of conventional and conservation tillage operation, Three planting methods, (Drilling, Dibbling and Broadcasting) and five different levels of poultry manure (0, 2.5, 5.0, 7.5, 10.0 t/ha). The treatments were laid out in a randomized complete block design (RCBD) replicated three times. The results of the study revealed that, application of poultry manure at the rate of 10.0t/ha were found to be significantly (P≤0.01) better than all the other treatments and the control was the least in all the characters studied. At different planting methods, dibbling and drilling produced significantly (P≤0.01) higher number of stems than the broadcasting. The use of dibbling method was significantly (P≤0.01) better than all other methods and broadcasting was the least on number of productive stems and grain yield (t/ha). It can be concluded that the cultivation of spring wheat with the application of 10 t/ha and dibbling method of planting seems to be better practice and can therefore, be recommended for farmers in the study area. However, any of the tillage method can be adopted for wheat production in the study area, meanwhile more research are recommended in this area to justify the best tillage operation for the production of the crop.