Effect of Varying Rates of NPK 15:15:15 Fertiliser on the Physicochemical Properties of the Soil, Growth and Yield of Cucumber, (Cucumis sativus L.)
O. E. Ngwu *
Department of Agronomy & Ecological Management, Faculty of Agriculture Enugu State University of Science and Technology, P.M.B. 01660, Enugu, Nigeria
V. N. Edeh
Department of Agronomy & Ecological Management, Faculty of Agriculture Enugu State University of Science and Technology, P.M.B. 01660, Enugu, Nigeria
*Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.
Abstract
The research was conducted at the Teaching and Research Farm of the Faculty of Agriculture and Natural Resources Management, Enugu State University of Science and Technology within latitude, 06° 171 58° 6” N and longitude 07°, 321, 58° 8”E on a total land area of 225m2 (15 m x 15 m). The research was aimed at finding the effect of different rates of NPK 15:15:15 fertiliser on the physicochemical properties of the soil, growth and yield of cucumber (Cucumis sativus L.). was designed in a Randomized complete Block Design (RCBD), with five replications and four treatments which are 0 kg/ha (T1) 50 kg/ha (T2), 100 kg/ha (T3) and 150 kg/ha (T4). The study showed that a significant (P = .05) effect in the yield was obtained at the rate of 150 kg/ha at 8 weeks after planting. The following yield and other agronomic parameters were obtained using 150 kg/ha. Fruit yield 18.75 t/ha and vine length 181.37 cm. Therefore cucumber farmers are advised to apply 150 kg/ha of NPK 15:15:15 fertiliser for their optimum yield.
Keywords: Inorganic fertilizer, soil properties, leaf area index, fruit weight cucumber