Soil Nutrient Status and Okra Pod Yield as Influenced by Plant Density and Cattle Dung Manure Application

K E Law-Ogbomo, A U Osaigbovo, S A Ogedegbe

Abstract


Nutrients are essential for adequate nutrition and high yield of crop. Unfortunately, most natural soils are impoverished and farmers plant at inappropriate spacing. This study was carried out in 2012 and 2013 at the Teaching and Research Farm of the Faculty of Agriculture, University of Benin, Benin City, Nigeria. The aim was to determine the best plant density and cattle dung manure application rate for optimum okra production and enhancement of soil fertility. Treatments consisted of three plant densities (47,619, 66,666 and 83,333 plants per hectare (pph) and three levels of cattle manure (0, 300 and 450 kg N ha-1) in a 3 x 3 factorial arrangement fitted into randomized complete block design and replicated three times. The productivity of okra was enhanced by application of cattle dung which influenced soil nutrient status positively. Highest pod yield (7.39 t ha-1) was obtained with 83,333 plants per hectare (pph) and 450 kg Nha-1 cattle dung application. However, the population of 83,333 pph and 300 kg N ha-1 cattle dung application which gave the highest return per naira invested (3.28) and benefit: cost ratio (2.93) was assessed to be the best combination for optimum yield (7.13 t ha-1)

Keywords


Cattle dung; plant density; okra; pod yield

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References


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