Abstract
The study compares the growth, yield, and proximate composition of Amaranthus hybridus, Amaranthus cruentus, and Amaranthus deflexus, grown with poultry manure and NPK in relation to the unfertilized soil of Ilorin, Nigeria. Viable seeds of the Amaranths raised in nursery for two weeks were transplanted (one plant per pot) into unfertilized soil (control) and soils fertilized with either NPK or poultry manure (PM) at 30 Kg ha−1 rate arranged in randomized complete block design with four replicates. Data were collected on plant height, stem girth, number of leaves, leaf area, and number of branches from 1 week after transplanting (1 WAT). Fresh weight, dry weight, and proximate composition were determined at 6 WAT. Except for the length, breadth, and number of leaves, the order of growth parameters and yield in the three Amaranthus species was NPK > PM > control. NPK grown Amaranthus species had the highest protein while PM-grown vegetables had the highest ash content. Crude fibre in A. cruentus grown with PM was significantly higher than NPK and the control. The NPK treatment of A. hybridus and A. deflexus had the highest crude fibre content. NPK and PM favoured growth and yield of the Amaranthus species but influenced proximate composition differently.
Highlights
In Nigeria, as in most other tropical countries of Africa where the daily diet is dominated by starchy staple foods, vegetables are the cheapest and most readily available sources of important proteins, vitamins minerals, and essential amino acids [1]
The inorganic (NPK) and organic fertilizer (PM) generally increased the growth of all the species of Amaranthus in this study. This was revealed by the growth and luxuriance of the three Amaranthus species planted with fertilizers in the weeks after transplanting (WAT)
Leaf length in the NPK-grown A. hybridus and A. cruentus was initially shorter than that in poultry manure (PM) and control (1 WAT and 2 WAT) but it had the longest leaves at 6 WAT
Summary
In Nigeria, as in most other tropical countries of Africa where the daily diet is dominated by starchy staple foods, vegetables are the cheapest and most readily available sources of important proteins, vitamins minerals, and essential amino acids [1]. The production and nutritional values of these vegetables are limited due to the low fertility of native soils in most parts of Nigeria [2]. The hazardous environmental consequences and high cost of inorganic fertilizers make them undesirable and uneconomical and out of reach of the poor farmers who still dominate the Nigerian agricultural sector [4]. This has led to increased use of organic manure, a readily available alternative, which proves more environmentally friendly
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