Determination of Appropriate Rate of Cattle Dung for Effective Weed Control and Higher Yield of Castor Bean Seed (Ricinus Communis L) At Badeggi, Nigeria

Abstract

Castor field of National Cereals Research Institute (NCRI) Badeggi is becoming over mined as a result of continuous cropping over a long period of time and thereby leading to high leaching of added inputs such as herbicides, inorganic fertilizer; and water by causing high infiltration of both rain and irrigation water and consequently, affecting weed control and castor yield (kg/ha). Therefore, possible way to reclaim or ameliorate the soil to improve weed control and enable higher productivity of castor seed is necessary. Field trials were established on castor experimental field of National Cereals Research Institute, Badeggi in 2013 and 2014 wet seasons. The treatments evaluated were different rates of air dried cattle dung manure at the following rates 5.0t/ha, 10.0t/ha, 15.0t/ha, 20.0t/ha, NPK inorganic fertilizer at 60-60-20kg/ha and the control where nothing was applied. All the rates of cattle dung evaluated offered better weed control and castor bean yield (kg/ha) than the control where no fertilization took place in both years. The incorporation of cattle dung in both years at all the rates evaluated gave significantly better weed control and yield (kg/ha) of castor seed than plots treated with inorganic fertilizer alone at 60-60-30kg/ha NPK. Among the various rates of cattle dung evaluated for effective weed control and castor seed yield (kg/ha), the weed control and castor seed yield achieved from the incorporation of 10.0t/ha of cattle dung was significantly comparable to the weed control and castor yield (kg/ha) obtained from the incorporation of higher rates of 15.0t/ha and 20.0t/ha in 2013 and 2014.