Efficiency of NEB-33 fortified fertilizers on growth and yield of pepper (<i>Capsicum fruitscen</i>)

Abstract

A two year field study was conducted in Institute of Agriculture Reasearch and Training experimental field at Ibadan, Nigeria to evaluate the effects of NEB-33 fertilizer additive on the growth and yield of chilli pepper (Capsium fruitscen). Treatments consisted of control, NPK, poultry manure (PM), organomineral fertilizer (OM), cow dung (CD) and their combinations with NEB-33. The organic fertilizers were applied at the rate of 5 t ha-1, while NPK 15:15:15 was applied at the rate of 90 kg N ha-1 and NEB-33 was applied at the rate of 5.6 kg ha-1. Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) was used for the experiment and was replicated three times. Results show that treatments significantly (P>0.05) improved growth and yield of chilli pepper. Number of leaves, plant height, leaf area, stem girth, number
of branches, number of fruits, and fruit yield ranged from 129 - 170, 30.4 – 44.2 cm, 20.7 – 35 cm2, 2.0 - 2.7 cm2, 12 – 17, 392 – 682 and 1.01 – 3.08 t ha-1 respectively. Percentage increase in number of leaves, plant height, leaf area ranged from 5.4 – 70%, 17.8 – 48.7% and 3 – 73.4%, respectively, in treated plant over control. In terms of total number of fruit yield, percentage increases were 15, 7 , 13 and 27% respectively in NPK + NEB, CD + NEB, PM + NEB and OM + NEB whereas in case of fruit yield, percentage increases were 17, 9, 8 and 12%, respectively, for NPK + NEB, CD + NEB, PM + NEB and OM
+ NEB over their sole application.