Influence of Spacing and Variety on the Yield of Garden Cress (Lepidium sativum) in Kano State

Garden cress (Lepidium sativum) is a fast-growing leafy herb with increasing market demand in Northern Nigeria due to its nutritional and medicinal properties. In Kano State, smallholder herb farmers are adopting garden cress as a cash crop, yet data on optimal variety choice and plant spacing for maximizing yield under local conditions remain scarce. This study evaluates the effect of two varieties (local landrace and an improved variety) and three spacing levels (10x10 cm, 15x15 cm, and 20x20 cm) on the growth and fresh herb yield of garden cress in Kano. A factorial experiment was laid out in a randomized complete block design with four replications. Plant height, branching pattern, fresh herb weight per plant, and total yield per square meter were measured at harvest. Analysis of variance was performed to assess main and interaction effects. Results indicate that the improved variety produced significantly higher fresh herb yield per plant across all spacing levels, while 15x15 cm spacing maximized total yield per unit area regardless of variety. A significant variety by spacing interaction was observed for total yield. The study recommends the improved variety at 15x15 cm spacing as the optimal combination for garden cress production in Kano State. Keywords: garden cress, Lepidium sativum, spacing, variety, Kano State