Varietal Response of Cola Species to Fertilizer Application on Field Establishment, Growth, Development and Canopy Characteristics

Responses of Cola nitida and Cola acuminata to NPK and Super-gro fertilizers on seedling development, field establishment, and canopy characteristics were investigated in 2019-2020. Seedlings of the two Cola species were transplanted as a randomized complete block design with three replications on the field. Fertilizer treatments were imposed and the shoot and root growth parameters of the cola were monitored for two growing seasons. From the results, application of NPK fertilizer positively enhanced leaf and stem branch development as well as canopy features of the cola species compared to super-gro and the control treatments. Seedling height and leaf area development were higher significantly through application of super-gro compared with other treatments. Seedlings establishment were enhances by the application of super-gro over NPK and the control plots. Leaf production, stem branch number, stem girth development and leaf area development in Cola nitida were significantly higher than in Cola acuminata.  Cola acuminata seedlings height were significantly higher compare to Cola nitida during the two growing seasons. The interactions of fertilizers and crop species reveals that NPK and super–gro application significantly influenced leaf production in C acuminata over C nitida. Stem branch production in C acuminata was better significantly under the treatment of NPK than that of C nitida under super-gro and the control plots. Canopy development was significantly higher under Cola acuminata treated with Super-gro followed by NPK with the control having the least. Canopy development in Cola nitida were significantly lower compared with Cola acuminata across the fertilizer treatments.