THE RESPONSE OF COCOYAM (Colocasia esculentus (L). Schott) TO MIXTURE OF ORGANIC AND INORGANIC FERTILIZERS IN MUBI, ADAMAWA STATE NIGERIA

Abstract

A field experiment was conducted at the Adamawa State University, Faculty of Agriculture Department of Crop Science Teaching and Research farm during the 2019 rainy season. To evaluate response of cocoyam (Colocasia esculentus(L). Schott) to mixture of organic and inorganic fertilizers, with the objective of selecting the best fertilizer mixture that can enhance the growth and yield of cocoyam. The experiments consisted of the following treatments T1 = 504 kg ha-1 cow dung, T2 = 227.65 kg ha-1 poultry droppings, T3 = 210.15 kg ha-1 NPK, T4 = 251.33 kg ha-1 cow dung +138.83 kg ha-1 poultry droppings, T5 = 215. 33 kg ha-1 cow dung + 105.08 kg ha-1 NPK, T6 = 138.83 kg ha-1 poultry droppings + 105.08 kg ha-1 NPK, T7 = 167.55 kg ha-1 cow dung + 92.55 kg ha-1 poultry droppings + 70.05 kg ha-1 NPK and T8 = Control. The experiment was laid out in a Randomized Complete Block Designed (RCBD) in three replicates. The result showed that T4 recorded the highest number of leaves and tillers at four weeks after fertilizer application, while the T1 recorded the highest number of leaves and tillers at ten weeks after fertilizer application. The yield characters also vary significantly across the treatments, with T7 yielded the highest number of corm per plot (74), 100 corm weight (6.40 kg), corm yield per plot (1.77 kg) and corm yield in kg ha-1(4425 kg ha-1). Significant positive correlation between corm yield in kg ha-1 with corm yield per plot (r = 0.9395**), 100 corm weight (r= 0.9555**) and number of corm per plot (r = 0.9453**). Suggest that improvement in these characters will enhance the yield of cocoyam. From the results of this research therefore, T7 the blend of 167.55 kg ha-1 Cow dung + 92.55 kg ha-1 Poultry droppings + 70.05 kg ha-1 NPK performed better, for yield character, and hence recommends as the best fertilizer mixture that can enhance the growth and yield of cocoyam in Mubi and environ.