Effects of Planting Time and Poultry Manure on Late Season Plaintain Establishment and Yield in Owerri Rainforest Zone of Nigeria

Abstract

In rainfed agriculture, plantain availability to consumer is seasonal. Late season plantain planting with appropriate organic manure application has been one of the advocated solutions. This experiment was carried out at the Federal University of Technology Teaching and Research  farm, Owerri in 2010 late season planting to determine the  appropriate time of planting and optimum manure rate that will enhance late season plantain establishment and bunch availability in the tropical rainforest. The experiment was a 3x4 factorial fitted into a randomized complete block design replicated three times. The treatments were three late season months (5^th September, 5^th October and 5thNovember) and four poultry manure rates (0,4,8 and 12 t.ha^-1). The pre and post soil, establishment, growth and yield data were collected and analysed statistically.  The post soil chemical analysis showed an improvement on soil pH,(5.30-6.07, 5.59-5.67 and 5.73-5.72), organic matter,(2.098-2.098, 2.476-2.373 and 2.240-2.201%) calcium,(7.03-10.20, 3.60-6.40 and 5.40-5.70 l/kg) organic carbon,(1.696-1.217, 1.436-1.377 and1.436-1.277%)  phosphorous (21.39-20.86, 20.20-18.80 and14.60-13.90ppm)  and  magnesium (0.67-2.00, 0.83-1.17 and 0.83-1.00CMOL) in the treatment that received 8 and12 t ha^-1 poultry manure in September, October and November planting respectively..  The residual effect of poultry manure resulted in increased yield (8.6, 7.2 and 7.0kg)  of the first ratoon crop in September, October, and November planting that received 12t ha^-1poultry manure respectively.  Although poultry manure rates enhanced plantain establishment, growth and yield when planted in September, October and November, plantain planted  in September and manured with 12 t ha-¹ poultry manure significantly(p=0.05) enhanced plantain establishment,(100%) ,yield (9.2kg in plant crop,8.6 first ratoon) and  income return (N 7,135,,501.8/ha) in Owerri Rainforest zone of Nigeria.

Keywords: Planting time,  poultry manure, late season plantain, production, humid tropics.