Effect of NPK fertilizer rates on the yield and yield components of bitter leaf (<i>Vernonia amygdalina</i> del.) in Owerri southeastern Nigeria

Abstract

An experiment was carried out from March – December 2004 and repeated in 2005 at the Teaching and Research Farm, Federal University of Technology Owerri to evaluate the effect of NPK 20:10:10 fertilizer rates on the yield and yield components including the cost benefit of bitter leaf in Owerri, Southeastern Nigeria. There were 6 treatments namely 0 (control), 100,200,300, 400 and 500 kgha-1 rates of NPK 20:10:10 fertilizer. A randomized complete block design was used with 4 replications. Results indicated that 500 and 400 kgha-1 NPK 20:10:10 fertilizer rates produced significantly higher growth and yield of bitter leaf and were better than 300, 200, 100 and 0 kgha-1 NPK 20:10:10 fertilizer rates. Although there was no significant difference between 500 kgha-1 and 400kgha-1 fertilizer rates, the former had higher yield and enhanced the crop growth more than the later. The NPK fertilizer treatment gave positive cost benefit at 400 and 500 kgha-1 respectively. The applications of NPK fertilizers with high N-levels supply enough nutrients for the high productivity of Vernonia amygdalina . Keywords : NPK fertilizer; yield; yield component; Vernonia amygdalina ; Nigeria International Journal of Natural and Applied Sciences Vol. 2 (3) 2006: pp. 230-234