Comparative Effect of Sesasons, Organomineral Fertilizer Ratios and Profitability of Cucumber Production (Cucumis Sativus L.) in Southwest Nigeria

Abstract

Ensuring an adequate good nutritional supply has been a major concern of mankind over the millennia, and even in today’s modern world of great scientific and technological achievements. Fruits and vegetables are of great nutritional value and they are sources of vitamins and minerals, thus, essential components of human diet. Premise to the above challenge there is the need to evaluate the economics production of cucumber under different agronomic management in order to encourage local production among small holder farmers. Experiment to document the productivity of cucumber was in early and late cropping seasons of 2016 at Teaching and Research Farm of Obafemi Awolowo University (OAU), Ile-Ife, Nigeria. The experimental design was a split-plot laid out in a Randomized complete block design (RCBD) with three replications. The main plot include; four vine trailing methods (Staked, Trellised, Mulch and control) while sub-plots were six levels of organomineral fertilizers fortified in ratios (1:3, 1:1, 3:1 of organic with inorganic fertilizer;, 100% NPKha-1, 100% Organic Nha-1 and 0% Nha-1 as a control). The fertilizers were aimed to give 100% kg Nha-1. Data were collected on fruit yield per plot and yield was converted to hectare. The data collected were subjected to analysis of variance (ANOVA) using (SAS, 2003). Means of significant treatments were separated using the Duncan`s Multiple Range Test (DMRT). Also, gross margin analysis was carried out to know the profitability of the production seasons of cucumber. The data obtained from the experiments show that type of vine management and fertilizers significantly affected the yield of cucumber. Among the vine trailing methods investigated mulched method significantly enhanced the yield and subsequently produced the higher number of fruits and resulted in higher fruit yield per hectare. Ratio 1:1 combination of inorganic and organic fertilizers resulted in the highest number of cucumber fruits and economic return. Therefore, for effective production of cucumber, application of organic and mineral fertilizers at the ratio 1:1 with the use of straw mulching resulted in higher yield and better revenue. In addition, gross margin analysis reviewed that late raining season production of cucumber gives more income compared with early season production.