CLIMATE DYNAMICS AND SWEET POTATO YIELD ACROSS THE AGRO-CLIMATIC BELTS OF NIGERIA

Abstract

Rainfall and Temperature are very important elements and factors of weather and climate needed in the successful production of crops, including sweet potato. The performance of this crop yield in relation with climate elements across the climate belts in Nigeria has not been given the due attention in Nigeria. Therefore, this study examined the changing pattern of sweet potato cross the Climate Belts of Nigeria. Rainfall and Temperature data were obtained for the study from Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet), Abuja while sweet potato yield data were collected from the experimental farms of National Root Crops Research Institute (NRCRI), Umudike, Agricultural Development Programme (ADP) and Nigerian Bureau of Statistics, Abuja. These data covered a period of 40 years (1980 -2019) and were analyzed using simple linear regression, correlation and Analysis of Variance (ANOVA). Results obtained showed that rainfall and temperature significantly predicted sweet potato yield across the four climate belts at p<0.05: Tropical Monsoon (TM) (F,187.2301) and jointly explained 45% of variation in sweet  potato yield (r=.671 and the R2=.45); Tropical Savanna (TS) (F,17.132.1410) and jointly explained 56.4% of variation in sweet potato yield (r = .751 and R2= 56.4); Warm Semi-Arid (WSA) (F,111.0451) and jointly explained 61% of variation in sweet potato yield (r= .781 and R2= .610); and Warm Desert (WD) (F,45.0051) and jointly explained 30.1% of variation in sweet potato yield (r = .549 and R2= .301). Based on these results, it is concluded here that there is a significant relationship between rainfall and temperature and sweet potato yields over the years and across the climate belts. The study recommends among others that planting and harvesting of sweet potato by farmers should align with the seasons as found in each of the four climate belts.