Growth and Yield of Three Indigenous Vegetables (Amaranthus caudatus, Celosia argentea L., Corchorus olitorius L.) Grown in Soil Supplemented with Poultry Manure

Abstract

This study tests the hypothesis that sustainable indigenous vegetable production can be achieved through organic fertilization. To that end, three tropical indigenous vegetable (Amaranthus caudatus, Celosia argentea, Corchorus olitorius) croppings were subjected to poultry manure fertilization in order to appreciate the plant’s response observed using some growth traits and yield variations. The experiment was carried out at the organic farm of Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta in Nigeria. A split plot arrangement fitted into a randomized complete block design considered 3 species x 2 treatments (10t/ha manure and control) x 3 replicates. Plants that were marked were each measured weekly from the third week after planting for their height, leaf number, leaf area, root length, fresh mass and dry mass. Yield values range from 2.03t/ha to 10.07t/ha depending on species and treatments. The highest yield results were from A. caudatus and the lowest from C. olitorius. The poultry manure application caused significant increases in the height of A. caudatus and C. argentea height (p<0.05) and compared to the controls. However, this did not affect the leaf number and area. Poultry manure induced higher yields 1.9 times of the control (5.33 t/ha) for Amaranthus caudatus. However, Celosia argentea and Corchorus olitorius gave decreased yields of 5.21% and 12.9% respectively. Indigenous species responded differently to the poultry manure. Further studies are needed to test the response abilities of more indigenous vegetables to organic fertilizers.