




































American International Journal of Agricultural Studies  

Vol. 4, No. 1; 2021 

ISSN 2641-4155   E-ISSN 2641-418X 

Published by American Center of Science and Education, USA 

 

 15  

EFFECT OF GROWING SUBSTRATE ON YIELD OF RADISH 

IN NIGERIA UNDER RAINFED AND HAND WATERING 

CONDITIONS 
 

 

Ossai C. Okolie 

Research Supervisor 

YIIFSWA Project 

International Institute of Tropical Agriculture, Ibadan, Nigeria 

E-mail: c.ossai@cgiar.org 
 

Stephanie Clara Akpeji 

Graduate Student  

Microbiology Department  

University of Ibadan, Ibadan, Nigeria 

E-mail: akpejistephanie@gmail.com 

E. Martha Olorode 

Research Fellow  

Biochemistry Unit 

Forestry Research Institute of Nigeria 

E-mail: efeandrew@yahoo.com 

Ogbole Samson 

Graduate Student 

Biochemistry Department  

Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Nigeria 

E-mail: ogbolesamson@gmail.com 

S. Oye Azeez 

Seed Delivery Officer 
YIIFSWA Project 

International Institute of Tropical Agriculture, Ibadan, Nigeria 

E-mail: o.azeez@cgiar.org 

 

ABSTRACT 

Radishes (Raphanus sativus L) have high nutritive and medicinal values, and are predominantly 

cultivated in the temperate regions of the world. With the high malnutrition rate in Nigeria, 

domesticating radish is necessary. However, despite being successfully cultivated using the 

hydroponics system with cocopeat substrate in Nigeria, the adaption to the soil type is an 

important factor to consider. Seeds of three genotypes of radish were grown in cocopeat 

substrate and topsoil under rainfed and hand watering conditions. The experiment was set up as 

a 3 (genotypes) by 2 (substrates) by 2 (watering methods) factorial laid in a completely 

randomized design with three replicates. Data were collected on the plant height, number of 

leaves, leaf area, and the tuber and leaf weights respectively. Data collected were analyzed 

http://www.acseusa.org/journal/index.php/aijas
mailto:c.ossai@cgiar.org
mailto:akpejistephanie@gmail.com
mailto:efeandrew@yahoo.com
mailto:ogbolesamson@gmail.com
mailto:o.azeez@cgiar.org


https://www.acseusa.org/journal/index.php/aijas      American International Journal of Agricultural Studies      Vol. 4, No. 1; 2021 

 

16 

using ANOVA (SAS 9.0 version) and differences in treatment means were separated using least 

significant differences at 5 % significance level. Results obtained showed that the tuber weight of 

White Icicle Radish (21.35±3.32) was significantly heavier than the rest genotypes, and the hand 

watering system also encouraged the production of heavier tuber size (17.79±2.71) than the 

rainfed system (7.9.6±2.71). However, the planting substrate was insignificant in all parameters 

considered. 

 

Keywords: Raphanus Sativus, Substrate, Cocopeat, Topsoil, Rainfed, Water. 

 

JEL Classification Codes: Q15 

 

INTRODUCTION 

Radishes (Raphanus sativus L) belong to the Cruciferae family and are quick and easy to grow 

(Abdel, 2011). Different varieties of radish exist, with the local red and black varieties 

predominantly cultivated in Asia where it originated (Abdel, 2011). Radishes are mainly 

cultivated for the tuber parts which can be eaten raw as salad or cooked; however, it also has 

several medicinal uses (Bakhsh et al., 2006), with high minerals and vitamins A and C contents 

(Baloch, 1994). Radish can thrive under temperate and tropical climatic conditions, as well as on 

different soil types especially under moist rich soils (Bakhsh et al., 2006). However, reports of its 

production are largely skewed in favor of the temperate climate with low humidity level (Wan & 

Kang, 2005; Ossai et al., 2020).  

In Nigeria, Radish is an exotic vegetable as there are little or no report of its cultivation 

and consumption. Although, owing to the above nutritive and medicinal characteristics of radish 

and the rate of malnutrition in Nigeria, there is need to exploit this vegetable for consumption 

due to its quick rate of production (Ossai et al., 2020). However, being a crop that requires cool 

climatic conditions for optimum yield, timing of the plant period is required as Nigeria has two 

main season; the wet and dry.  

The predominant farming system operational in Nigeria is the fallow system, and the 

planting period is timed to the onset of rain (Hula, 2013). Although, for a plant that is being 

introduced to a new environment, adequate care is given in the planting environment to provide 

all the necessary soil, water, temperature and nutrient requirements. The soil type and planting 

substrates in case of hydroponics system plays an important role in making moisture and nutrient 

available to the plant (Hoang, 2020). However, with the first report of radish production in 

Nigeria using the hydroponics system using the cocopeat substrate (Ossai et al., 2020), it is 

important to investigate the growth rate of radish in the natural soil condition of Nigeria in 

comparison to the cocopeat substrate under a rain-fed and hand watering regime, hence; the 

objective of this study. 

 

MATERIALS AND METHODS 

Seeds of three varieties of radish were sourced from the Soilless Farmlab, Abeokuta, Ogun State, 

Nigeria. The seeds were raised in a dissolved cocopeat substrate in a hydroponics trough for a 

week. The cocopeat substrate was purchased in block form from Afri-Agri company, Lagos, 

Nigeria. The buffered cocopeat blocks were dissolved in water and poured into 12 hydroponics 

troughs (8 litres capacity with 4 segments of 2 litres each). Also topsoil was dug from a dumping 

ground, and used to fill 12 troughs. The 1 week old radish seedlings were transplanted into the 

cocopeat substrates and the topsoil at the rate of 1 plant per segment of the trough.  



https://www.acseusa.org/journal/index.php/aijas      American International Journal of Agricultural Studies      Vol. 4, No. 1; 2021 

 

17 

6 of the 12 troughs containing cocopeat and topsoil respectively were kept outside to be irrigated 

by natural rainfall during the period of the radish growth, while 6 of the troughs containing 

cocopeat and topsoil respectively were irrigated manually every 3 days interval. Poultry 

dropping was sourced from Ajayi farm, Ibadan, Nigeria. The poultry manure was allowed to dry 

for one week, ground into fine particles and liquefied by dissolving 1 g in 1 litre of water over a 

period of 3 days. The liquefied poultry manure was used in fertigating each plant at a rate of 100 

ml per plant every week till harvest.  

Experimental design, data collection and statistical analysis: The experiment was 3 varieties 

(Cherry Red Radish, Cherry Belle Radish and White Icicle Radish) x 2 substrates (cocopeat and 

topsoil) x 2 watering method (Rainfed and Hand watering) factorial experiment laid in a 

completely randomized design with four replicates. At bi-weekly intervals, data were taken on 

the plant height, number of leaves and leave area, while at harvest, the harvested tubers and 

leaves (fresh biomass) were weighed and recorded. Data collected were analyzed using ANOVA 

(SAS 9.0 version) and differences in treatment means were separated using least significance 

differences at 5 % level of significance. 

RESULTS AND DISCUSSIONS 

The results obtained from this study has shown that the genotypic effect on the plant height, 

number of leaves at 4 weeks after planting and the tuber weight were significant, while the 

method of watering the plants had a significant effect on the height of the plants at 2 weeks after 

planting and the tuber weight respectively (Table 1). 

At 4 weeks after planting, the height of the CBR genotype was 13.05±0.31 which was 

significantly taller than CRR (10.95±0.31) and WIR (10.47±0.31) respectively. Also at 4 weeks 

after planting, the number of leaves produced by the CBR and CRR genotypes was 5.50±0.18 

respectively, and this was significantly higher than the 4.92±0.18 produced by WIR. While the 

area of the leave produced at 4 weeks after planting was insignificant. However, the weight of 

the tuber produced by WIR (21.35±3.32) was significantly heavier than CBR (7.97±3.32) and 

CRR (7.15±3.32) respectively (Table 2). 

 

Table 1. The effects of genotypes, substrates and watering methods and their interactions on the 

growth and yield of radish 

Source of 

variation 

Plant height (cm) 

Number of 

leaves Leaf area (cm2) 

TW(g) LW(g) Week2 Week4 Week2 Week4 Week2 Week4 

Gen 37.14** 22.63** 0.58ns 1.36* 0.78ns 0.71ns 762.84** 189.07ns 

Subs 1.40ns 0.16ns 0.03ns 0.03ns 1.32ns 0.16ns 27.39ns 139.63ns 

WM 12.84** 2.35ns 0.69ns 0.25ns 0.78ns 3.00ns 1142.44** 31.17ns 

Gen*Subs 3.37* 4.30* 0.53ns 0.03ns 0.45ns 3.46ns 23.35ns 45.50ns 

Gen*WM 4.59* 6.95** 1.36* 0.08ns 7.77** 1.61ns 211.39ns 28.99ns 

Subs*WM 0.02ns 0.54ns 0.69ns 0.69ns 0.03ns 1.69ns 135.39ns 43.78ns 

Gen*Subs*WM 10.20* 6.89** 0.19ns 0.19ns 1.34* 0.58ns 58.46ns 30.04ns 

Gen: Genotypes, Subs: Substrates, TW: Tuber weight and LW: leaf weight, WM: 

watering method 

 



https://www.acseusa.org/journal/index.php/aijas      American International Journal of Agricultural Studies      Vol. 4, No. 1; 2021 

 

18 

Table 2. Growth and yield performance of three varieties of radish in hydroponics and loamy soil 

Genotypes 

Plant height 

(cm) 

Number of 

leaves Leaf area (cm2) 

TW(g) LW(g) Week2 Week4 Week2 Week4 Week2 Week4 

CBR 10.94a 13.05a 4.17a 5.50a 7.13b 12.00a 7.97b 14.95a 

CRR 8.08b 10.95b 3.83a 5.50a 7.37ab 11.93a 7.15b 13.72a 

WIR 6.66c 10.47b 3.75a 4.92b 7.63a 12.38a 21.35a 21.13a 

LSD(0.05) 0.54 0.92 0.49 0.53 0.48 1.21 9.69 6.87 

SE 0.19 0.31 0.17 0.18 0.17 0.42 3.32 2.88 

Means with the same alphabet down the group are not significantly different from each 

other at 5 % significance level. LSD: Least Significant Differences, SE: Standard error. TW: 

Tuber weight and LW: leaf weight. CRR: Cherry Red Radish, CBR: Cherry Belle Radish and 

WIR: White Icicle Radish. 

The result obtained on the effect of substrates used in this study on the agronomic and 

yield parameters was insignificant (Table 3). However, at 2 weeks after planting, the height of 

the plants grown by watering the plants by hand at 3 days interval (9.16±0.15) was significantly 

taller than the rainfed plants (7.96±0.15), and the weight of the tubers produced by the hand 

watered plants (17.79±2.71) was also statistically heavier than the rainfed plants (6.52±2.71), 

while the watering method was insignificant on the number of leaves produced, the leaf area and 

leaf weight respectively (Table 4). 

Table 3. Effect of different substrate sources on the growth and yield of radish 

Substrates 

Plant height 

(cm) 

Number of 

leaves Leaf area (cm2) 

TW(g) LW(g) Week2 Week4 Week2 Week4 Week2 Week4 

Loamy 

soil 8.76a 11.56a 3.89a 5.33a 7.57a 12.04a 13.03a 18.57a 

Cocopeat 8.36a 11.42a 3.99a 5.28a 7.18a 12.17a 11.28a 14.63a 

LSD(0.05) 0.44 0.75 0.4 0.43 0.4 0.99 7.92 6.87 

SE 0.15 0.26 0.14 0.15 0.14 0.34 2.71 2.35 

Means with the same alphabet down the group are not significantly different from each 

other at 5 % significance level. LSD: Least Significant Differences, SE: Standard error. TW: 

Tuber weight and LW: leaf weight. 

 

Table 4. Effect of different substrate source on the growth and yield of radish in hydroponics 

system 

Watering 

methods 

Plant height 

(cm) 

Number of 

leaves Leaf area (cm2) 

TW(g) LW(g) Week2 Week4 Week2 Week4 Week2 Week4 

Hand watering 9.16a 11.74a 4.06a 5.39a 7.52a 12.39a 17.79a 17.53a 

Rainfed 7.96b 11.23a 3.78a 5.22a 7.23a 11.82a 6.52b 15.67a 

LSD(0.05) 0.44 0.75 0.4 0.43 0.39 0.99 7.92 6.87 

SE 0.15 0.26 0.14 0.15 0.14 0.34 2.71 2.35 



https://www.acseusa.org/journal/index.php/aijas      American International Journal of Agricultural Studies      Vol. 4, No. 1; 2021 

 

19 

Means with the same alphabet down the group are not significantly different from each other at 5 

% significance level. LSD: Least Significant Differences, SE: Standard error. HW: Hand 

watering, TW: Tuber weight and LW: leaf weight. 

Radish is grown for two reasons; the tuber part, which is grown for the purposes of salad 

making, and the leafy part used for medicine (Bakhsh et al., 2006). The agronomic performances 

of the three genotypes used in this study showed that the three genotypes can be effectively 

cultivated for the leafy vegetable purposes. However, there is more efficient transfer of 

photosynthate assimilates (net photosynthetic conversion) from the leaves of WIR genotype to 

the roots which undergoes secondary enlargement to form the tubers (Evans & Poorter, 2001). 

Although, cool environment favour tuber formation in radish (Sirtautas et al., 2011), this 

condition cannot be guaranteed in Nigeria as the climatic conditions is not stable (fluctuation 

between cold and more of hot weather). This implies that the WIR genotype adapts better to the 

environmental fluctuations. 

The first report of radish production in Nigeria was carried out using the cocopeat 

substrate effectively (Ossai et al., 2020). However, in this study, the difference in performance of 

the genotypes in both cocopeat and top soil in terms of the agronomic and yield parameters was 

insignificant. On the other hand, while simulating the production of radish to the natural 

environmental condition, where rainfall distribution also varies, the consistent supply of water to 

the plants every 3 days encourages tuber production than the rainfed system. This is because 

there are periods the plants will be starved of water in rainfed system due to the plants high rate 

of evapotranspiration (Wan & Kang, 2005), and the plants will be stressed before regaining its 

good condition by the reoccurrence of rain. This situation validates the work of Bakhsh et al. 

(2006) and that stated that radish thrives better in a moist rich soil.  

 

CONCLUSIONS 

The nutritive and medicinal components radish makes radish introduction to Nigeria important as 

majority of the populace are malnourished in many essential nutrients. The results of this study 

had shown that radish can be effectively grown on the soil type of Nigeria as in cocopeat system. 

However, the practice of irrigation system is more favorable for the cultivation as rainfall 

distribution varies and local farmers mostly lack the means to study the weather condition. Thus 

both the agrometerological and extension agencies will play a vital role in the weather 

forecasting and dissemination of the weather condition to the local farmers, as this will help the 

farmers in planning their cropping system to improve their harvest.  

 

REFERENCES 

Abdel, C. G. (2011). Improving the production of radish (Raphanus sativus L.cv. local black) by 

Fe-EDDHA and carrots (Daucus carrota L. var. sativus cv. nates) by indole-3-butyric 

acid (IBA). African Journal of Agricultural Research, 6(4), 978-985 

 

Bakhsh, K., Ahmad, B., Ahmad, Z. and Gill, H. S. (2006). Estimating Indicators of Higher Yield 

in Radish Cultivation. Int J Agric Biol, 8(6), 783-787 

Baloch, A. F. (1994). Vegetable Crops. Horticulture, National Book Foundation, Islamabad 

Evans, J. R., & Poorter, H. (2001). Photosynthetic acclimation of plants to growth irradiance: the 

relative importance of specific leaf area and nitrogen partitioning in maximizing carbon 

gain, Plant, Cell and Environment, 24, 755-767 



https://www.acseusa.org/journal/index.php/aijas      American International Journal of Agricultural Studies      Vol. 4, No. 1; 2021 

 

20 

Hoang, M. (2020). Effects of growing substrates and seed density on yield and quality of radish 

(Raphanus sativus) microgreens. Research on Crops. 21. 579-586.  

Hula, M. (2013). Exploring the relationship between farming practices and vegetation dynamics 

in Benue State, Nigeria. World Journal of Agricultural Sciences, 1, 232-240. 

Ossai, C. O., Ogbole, S., Balogun, M. O., & Akpeji, S. C. (2020). Production of Radish 

(Raphanus sativus L.) in Nigeria Using the Hydroponics System. Journal of 

Environmental and Agricultural Studies, 1(2), 6-9. 

Sirtautas, R., Samuoliene, G., Brazaitytė, A. & Duchovskis, P. (2011). Temperature and 

photoperiod effects on photosynthetic indices of radish (Raphanus sativus L.). 

Zemdirbyste, 98, 57-62. 

Wan, S. & Kang, Y. (2005). Effect of drip irrigation frequency on radish (Raphanus sativus L.) 

growth and water use. Irrig. Sci. 24, 161-174.  

 
 

Copyrights  

Copyright for this article is retained by the author(s), with first publication rights granted to the 

journal. This is an open-access article distributed under the terms and conditions of the Creative 

Commons Attribution license (http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). 


