EFFECT OF POULTRY MANURE AND NPK FERTILIZER ON GROWTH AND YIELD OF EGGPLANT (Solanum melongena) (pp.112-117)
ABSTRACT
A field study was conducted during the farming season of 2011 at Students Research and Demonstration Farm of Kogi State University to assess the effect of organic and inorganic fertilizers on growth and yield of eggplant (Solanum melongena). A Randomized Complete Block Design was used with three treatments with control and three replications. The treatments were: T1 = poultry manure (5 t/ha) + NPK 15:15:15 (125 kg/ha), T2 = NPK (250 kg/ha), T3 = poultry manure (9 t/ha) and control. The result showed significant difference (p<0.05) in all the parameters measured. The fruit yield was high in the combined application of organic and inorganic fertilizer and significantly different from either sole organic or inorganic nutrient sources or control. Among all the treatments, application of 5 t/ha of poultry manure + 125 kg/ha NPK produced the best response.