|
University of Jos Institutional Repository >
Natural Sciences >
Plant Science and Biotechnology >
Please use this identifier to cite or link to this item:
http://hdl.handle.net/123456789/2105
|
Title: | Comparative Study on the Effects of Bio-fertilizers, Organic and Inorganic Fertilizers on Growth and Yield Components of Cowpea (Vigna unguiculata) |
Authors: | Itelima, J. U. Ogbonna, A. I Onyimba, I. A Nwadiaro, P. O Nyam, M. A. Agbala, C. C. |
Issue Date: | 2018 |
Publisher: | Direct Research Journal of Biology and Biotechnology |
Series/Report no.: | Vol. 4;No. 2; Pp 11-15 |
Abstract: | For optimum plant growth, nutrients must be available in
sufficient and balanced quantity. Fertilizers are designed to
supplement the nutrients already present in the soil. Increased
crop production largely relies on the type of fertilizers used to
supplement essential nutrients for plants. The study was carried
out to determine the effects of bio-fertilizers produced from plant
and animal waste materials such as saw dust, cow dung and
poultry droppings inoculated with a fungus (Aspergillus niger) and
organic and inorganic fertilizers on the growth and yield of
cowpea (Vigna unguiculata). The experiment was conducted at the
Department of Plant Science and Technology Nursery, University
of Jos. The saw dust and the cow dung and or poultry droppings
were mixed in a ratio of 30:1 and then autoclaved to remove other
microbes from the substrates. The substrates were mixed with A.
niger and water in line with standard method after which they
were placed separately into a locally constructed bio-digester. The
substrates (cow dung + saw dust mixture and or poultry
droppings + saw dust mixture) were stirred daily, while they were
allowed to be degraded by the fungus (A. niger). The process of
degradation of the different waste materials lasted for a period of
two weeks after which the nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium
(NPK) contents of the bio-fertilizers were analyzed alongside that
of organic fertilizers. After biodegradation process, the various
substrates were used to amend the soil used for growing cowpea.
Six treatments plus control with 5 replicates per treatment were
used. The fertilizer types included; bio-fertilizer produced from
cow dung-sawdust mixture (BCD), bio-fertilizer produced from
poultry droppings-sawdust mixture (BPD), combination of BCD
and BPD and organic manures produced from cow dung (CD) and
poultry droppings (PD) and inorganic fertilizer (IF). Pots of soils
that were not amended with any of the fertilizer served as the
control. Plant growth and yield parameters of cowpea plant grown
on soil amended with bio-fertilizers were measured and
compared with those grown on soil amended with organic and
inorganic fertilizers. Both bio-fertilizers and the inorganic
manures affected growth parameters of the cowpea variety used
at varying degrees. There was a remarkable increase in all the
growth parameters for all the treatments over the control
(Cowpea grown on soil that was not amended with fertilizer) with
the exception of the cow dung manure (CD). The yield of the crop
which was obtained from the combination of the two biofertilizers
(BCD and BPD) gave the best yield with respect to the
total weight of the seed per pot 169 g followed by BPD 129 g and
BCD 127 g, while IF, PD, control and CD gave the percentage yield
of 94, 85, 68 and 61 g respectively. Similar results were also
obtained from other crop yield parameters considered in the
experiment, where the combination of BPD+BCD gave the highest
yield except in the case of the mean length of one pod, with IF
giving the highest yield of 0.19 cm. The results of the present
study reveals that to obtain optimum yield of cowpea, the
combination of the bio-fertilizers produced from cow dung-saw
dust mixture and poultry droppings-saw dust mixture should be
employed in amending the soil used for cultivating the crop
especially in soil lacking essential nutrients. |
URI: | http://hdl.handle.net/123456789/2105 |
ISSN: | 4372-2608 |
Appears in Collections: | Plant Science and Biotechnology
|
Items in DSpace are protected by copyright, with all rights reserved, unless otherwise indicated.
|