EFFECT OF DIFFERENT SOIL AMENDMENT RATES (CHICKEN MANURE AND NPK FERTILIZER 15-15-15) ON THE GROWTH AND YIELD OF VEGETABLE AMARANTH (AMARANTHUS HYBRIDUS)

Abstract

Two separate experiments were undertaken at the farming for the future of Faculty of Agriculture of University for Development Studies (UDS), Nyankpala of Tolon District in the Northern Region of Ghana. The first study examined “the effect of different soil amendment rates (chicken manure and NPK fertilizer) on the growth and yield of vegetable Amaranth from 02 June to 14 November, 2013. The second study examined “the effect of chicken manure and NPK (single and split applications) on the growth and yield of vegetable Amaranth from 5th October 2014 to 14th February, 2015. The objectives of the experiments were to determine the effect of chicken manure application at different levels and different rates of NPK 15-15-15 fertilizer application on the growth and yield of the crop, to assess the growth and yield response of Amaranthus hybridus to chicken manure and NPK fertilizer application (single and split applications). The experimental design was 3 x 4 factorial experiment laid out in Randomized Complete Block Design with 4 blocks for experiment 1 and 2 x 3 x 2 factorial experiment laid out in Completely Randomized Design with 4 replications for experiment 2. The treatments for experiment 1 were Chicken Manure at 4 levels; 0 t / ha, 10 t / ha, 15 t / ha, 20 t / ha and NPK (15 - 15 - 15) fertilizer at three levels; 0 kg / ha, 250 kg / ha and 300 kg / ha. Treatments for experiment 2 were Chicken Manure at two levels; 0 t / ha and 25 / ha and NPK at 3 levels; 0 kg / ha, 250 kg / ha and 300 kg / ha. Number of application at 2 levels; single and split. The parameters measured were plant height, number of leaves, leaf area, canopy spread, chlorophyll level, fresh weight and dry matter of the plants. It was deduced from the experiment 1 that, the yield of Amaranthus hybridus responded to the main effects of NPK fertilizer and chicken manure. Thus, it is concluded that the application of 250 kg / ha NPK fertilizer to Amaranthus hybridus had the higher mean values for both growth and yield parameters for lower cost of production since it was not significant difference from 300 kg / ha NPK. In experiment 2 it was deduced that, split application of 300 kg / ha NPK to Amaranthus hybridus gave the highest mean values for almost all the parameters measured. It is therefore recommended that, farmers should split the application of 300 kg / ha NPK to Amaranthus for satisfactory plant responses pertaining to the growth and yield. It is also recommended that an experiment of this nature should be conducted on farm with the participation of the farmers themselves to observe and see the outcome of the study.