EFFECT OF COMBINED USE OF UREA AND GOAT DUNG MANURE ON CELOSIA
Abstract
Three field experiments were conducted to investigate the separate and combined effects of urea and goat dung manure on leaf nutrient contents, growth and yield of Celosia argentea in southwest Nigeria.Each experiment involved 7 treatments namely: no treatment, 10t/ha goat dung, 125 kg/ha urea, 125 kg/ha urea + 2t/ha goat dung, 125 kg/ha urea + 4 t/ha goat dung, 125 kg/ha urea + 6t/ha goat dung and 125 kg/ha urea + 8 t/ha goat dung, replicated three times using a randomised complete block design. Goat manure increased height, number of leaves, stem girth, root length, stem and leaf weight of celosia and leaf N, P, K, Ca and Mg contents. Compared with urea or goat dung alone, combined application of urea and goat dung increased growth and yield of celosia and leaf nutrients contents. Addition of goat manure to urea increased leaf P, K, Mg status. Leaf P and K increased with increasing amount of goat manure. Compared with no treatment, 10t/ha goat dung, 125 t/ha urea and 125 t/ha urea + 6t/ha goat dung increased fresh matter yield by 66, 273 and 974% respectively.
[Niger Agric. J. 34 (2003): 87-90]
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