Growth and Yield of Two Varieties of Okra (Abelmoschus esculentus (L). Moench) as affected by Potassium Fertilizer Sources

Abstract

Wastes arising from poultry production and oil palm processing mill have constituted environmental hazard in South-West, Nigeria. The use of these wastes as soil organic amendments can be a way of managing the wastes thus reducing the menace of pollution caused by indiscriminate dumping of these wastes especially poultry manure. The effects of four agricultural wastes as sources of potassium fertilizers on growth and yield of two varieties of okra (Abelmoschus esculentus (L). Moench) were assessed in a pot experiment at the Teaching and Research Farm, Ekiti State University, Ado-Ekiti. Treatments consisted of poultry manure (PM), palm oil mill effluent (POME) at 8t/ha each, muriate of potash (MP) applied at 20kg/ha and no fertilizer (NF) as control as well as two varieties of okro TAE-38 and Clemson spineless (NHA_e (47-4). The experiment was laid out in a randomized complete block design (RCBD) in three replicates. Twenty four pots were filled with 25kg top soil each. Data of growth and yield parameters; plant height, number of leaves, leaf area, number of pods, length of pods and fresh weight of pods were measured. The results revealed that poultry manure significantly (P<0.05) gave highest plant height of 92.7cm, highest number of pod (18.3) which is 52 and 35% over POME and 89% over NF respectively. POME gave highest fresh pod weight of 23.7g/plant. Maximum yield of 3.3t/ha was obtained with application of poultry manure. The result have shown that organic sources POME and PM could be used as a substitute for K which increase the productivity of the soil in okro production and thereby reduce the pollution caused by these wastes.

Keywords: Growth, poultry manure, potassium fertilizer sources, Oil palm mill effluent.