Main Article Content

Fruit Yield Responses of Eggplant (<i>Solanum melongena</i>) to Single and Combined Applications of Organic and Inorganic Fertilizers


P.E Ogbonna
C.S Ogbonna

Abstract

A study was carried out in the experimental farm of the Department of Crop Science, University of Nigeria, Nsukka in the period of September 2003. and February 2004 to determine the effect of different rates of poultry manure and NPK 15.15:15 fertilizer and their interaction on fruit yield of Solanum melongena. The study was repeated in the months of July to November, 2007, in the same area. Four rates of poultry manure 0, 5, 10 and 15 tons/ha and four rates of NPK: 15:15:15 fertilizer, 0, 200, 350 and 400kg/ha and their combinations were tested in a factorial in Randomized Completely Block Design (RCBD) experiment. The result revealed that application of poultry manure significantly increase fruit yield in the crop. Fruit yield/ha increased by 54.03% 90.65% and 145.97% as manure was increased from 0 ton/ha to 5, 10 and 15 tons/ha, respectively, in 2004. In the 2007 experiment it increased by 147.98%, 166.67% and 176.94 as manure was increased from 0 ton/ha to 5, 10 and 15 tons/ha, respectively. Fertilizer application also significantly increased fruit yield. Fruit yield increased by 23.86%, 29. 51 % and 30.78% in 2004 and by 129.28% 157.4% and 144.61% in 2007 as NPK 15:15:15 application was increased from Okg/ha to 200, 350 and 400kg/ha, respectively. Poultry manure by NPK 15: 15: 15 interaction was not statistically significant in the plant yield attributes studied, however, the combination of 15ton/ha poultry manure and 350kg/ha NPK 15:15:15 fertilizer gave the highest fruit yield/ha in both years

Keywords: Poultry manure, NPK 15:15:15 fertilizer


Journal Identifiers


eISSN: 2705-3822
print ISSN: 1596-7409