Influence of Soil Amendment Practices on Soil Physicochemical Properties, Growths and Edible Leaf Yield of Fluted Pumpkin (Telfairia occidentalis) in Enugu South Eastern Area of Nigeria
O. E. Ngwu *
Department of Agronomy and Ecological Management, Enugu State University of Science and Technology, Enugu State, Nigeria.
V. N. Edeh
Department of Agronomy and Ecological Management, Enugu State University of Science and Technology, Enugu State, Nigeria.
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
The effect of inorganic fertilizer (NPK 15-15-15), mulching materials (plant residue), poultry manure (droppings) and lime (CaCO3) on soil physicochemical properties, growth and edible leaf yield of fluted pumpkin it was studied in 2019 in farming seasons at the Teaching and Research Farm of the Faculty of Agriculture and Natural Resources Management Enugu State University of Science and Technology. A Randomized Complete Block Design with five (5) treatments and four (4) replications were used for the experiment. The result of this experiment showed that inorganic fertilizer (NPK 15-15-15), produced significantly (P=0.05) 250 kg/ha, increased leaf area index (LAI), higher number of branches, highest fresh weight and gave longer vine length than line (CaCO3) 250 kg/ha, mulching materials (plant residue) 250 kg/ha and poultry manure (droppings) 250 kg/ha.
Keywords: Soil amendment practices, growth, edible leafield, physicochemical properties, Telfairia occidentalis.