Growth and Yield Response of Roselle (Hibiscus sabdariffa L.) to Farmyard Manure and NPK Fertilizer in Owerri, Nigeria
Résumé
Soil fertility issues have become of mounting interest due to the growing need to achieve food security for a rapidly expanding population in Nigeria. Consequently, in order to boost soil fertility and optimize general crop output, systematic means of incorporating organic and inorganic fertilisers have shown auspicious outcomes in enhancing both crop performance and soil health in different cropping systems. However, the specific growth and yield response of roselle to these treatments/amendments in the acidic, low-fertility soils that characterise Owerri still remains underexplored. Hence, the study aimed to evaluate the response of roselle (Hibiscus sabdariffa L.) to varied levels of farmyard manure (poultry and pig source) and mineral NPK in Owerri. The experiment was laid out in a randomized complete block design (RCBD) in which farmyard manure [poultry manure (PM) and pig waste manure (PWM)], NPK fertilizers (NPK 15:15:15 and NPK 20:10:10) and their combinations at three levels (100%, 50% and 25%) and a control served as the treatments which was replicated thrice. Roselle was grown on a seedbed. Its growth parameters were measured at a bi-weekly interval, while yield parameters were measured after harvest. Analysis of Variance (ANOVA) was conducted on the data using Genstat Statistical Package Version 18. Results showed that farmyard manures and NPK fertilisers had significant (p<0.05) effects on the parameters measured. Combination of farmyard manure and NPK fertilisers significantly (p<0.05) enhanced all the parameters measured. A combination of farmyard manure and NPK fertilisers, especially at a 25% rate, improved the roselle growth and yield properties. Specifically, plant height (115.28 cm), number of leaves(29.92), number of branches per plant(17.39), fresh (345.2kgha-1) and dry calyx (65.9kg ha-1) yield and number of pod per plant (123.7) were significantly (p<0.05) improved by combination of poultry manure and NPK 15:15:15 fertilizer at 25% rate (T8). Farmers in the study area are encouraged to apply a combination of poultry manure and NPK15:15:15 at a 25% rate since the best performance was demonstrated by this mixture.