Abstract
Organomineral formulations are low input technology fertilizers, which combine the attributes of both organic and inorganic fertilizers. A completely randomized design (CRD) pot experiment was conducted in the screen house of the Department of Crop, Soil and Pest Management, of the Federal University of Technology, Akure, to evaluate the residual effects of neem Azadirachta indica A. Juss. (Sapindales: Meliaceae) seed based fertilizer and NPK 20:10:10 on the growth, yield and nutritional quality of Basella alba L. (Caryophyllales: Basellaceae). Results showed that the plots previously treated with neem seed-based fertilizer especially at 150-300 kg/ha enhanced the growth, yield and nutritional quality of B. alba, and increased these parameter significantly (P < 0.05) compared to the NPK treated and the untreated soil samples. It was therefore concluded that the Neem seed based fertilizer can serve as a viable alternative to NPK chemical fertilizers especially in rotational cropping systems owing to its prolonged soil action.
Highlights
Organomineral fertilizers in recent times have caught the interests of farmers and researchers in the SubSahara Africa, and the attraction towards these formulations arose from certain problems and limitations associated with the use of either chemical and organic manure alone
All the rates of neem seed-based and NPK fertilizer left residues in soil, which increased vine lengths and leaf numbers of Basella alba relative to the control
Kang and Balasubramanian (1990) and Babatola et al (2002) recorded high yields of leafy vegetables following the application of organomineral fertilizers and suggested that high and sustained yield could be obtained with judicious and balanced NPK fertilizer combined with organic source of plant nutrients
Summary
Organomineral fertilizers in recent times have caught the interests of farmers and researchers in the SubSahara Africa, and the attraction towards these formulations arose from certain problems and limitations associated with the use of either chemical and organic manure alone. The formulation combines the attributes of both organic and inorganic fertilizers (Ayeni, 2008), possessing the dual attributes of quick and sustained nutrient release, which will benefit optimum growth and yield in crop as well as furnish soil organisms with nutrients to derive energy for their metabolic activities. (Sapindales: Meliaceae) seed-based fertilizer (an organomineral formulation) residues on the growth and yield performances of Basella alba L.
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