Levels Of Poultry Manure Research Articles

PROXIMATE COMPOSITION OF UNCULTIVATED FORAGES AS AFFECTED BY POULTRY MANURE IN ALIERO LOCAL GOVERNMENT OF KEBBI STATE

Adequate management of grasslands are crucial for efficient supply of quality uncultivated forages that will support optimum livestock production. Therefore, the proximate composition of uncultivated forage species as affected by varying levels of poultry manure was investigated in the semi-arid area of Aliero LGA of Kebbi State at the Botanical Garden of Kebbi State University of Science and Technology during the 2021 rainy season. Treatments consisted of two varying poultry manure rates (0.00kg/T and 1.50kg/T) representing treatments 1 and 2 respectively which were applied two weeks before the commencement of the experiment, on two blocks consisting of three plots per block with each plot measuring (2.5m x 1.5m). The plots were laid out in a Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD). All the free growing natural pasture within each plot were cleared to allow regrowth under rain-fed regime. There were two (2) weeks fortnightly visits to observe the regrowth of the forage species and to remove weeds from the experimental plots and to clear the paths which lasted for nine weeks. After nine weeks of free growth, one (1) replicate from each treatment was randomly selected for herbage harvest with the use of a sharp sickle. The cut forages were oven dried at 650 C for 48 hours to determine the proximate composition. The dominant forage species identified are; two forbs (Euphobia convolvuloides and Sida cordifolia), three grasses (Eragrotis tremula, Axonopus spp and Pennisetum horndeoides) and one legume (Crotalaria spp). The poultry manure application rates had significant (p<0.05) effect on the proximate composition of the uncultivated forage species with the highest CP (15.90%) and NFC (68.60%) were recorded for Crotalaria spp and Axonopus spp respectively. The study indicated a positive response of the uncultivated forages to poultry manure application for better proximate composition.

Evaluation on the Effects of Organic Amendment on Soil Productivity of Selected Watersheds in Nnamdi Azikiwe University Awka Campus, Nigeria

This study was done to investigate soil physicochemical properties on the prevalence of biodiversity at Nnamdi Azikiwe University Awka and Amansea and to compare the performance of the different study areas (abandoned farmland and heavily grazed land) with respect to their productivity using different soil amendments. A soil amendment experiment was carried out using CRBD with four treatment levels of poultry manure for abandoned farmland and heavily grazed land. The study results revealed that soil physicochemical properties vary significantly across the study area. The difference between nitrogen and potassium levels were found to be significant at (P < 0.05), indicating favourable conditions for plant growth in specific locations. Conversely, other parameters, such as moisture content, phosphorus, organic matter, and pH, were not significant at (P > 0.05), suggesting suboptimal conditions for certain plant species. Roadside ecosystems exhibited the highest soil chemical properties, particularly potassium, making them conducive for plant growth. The perennial watershed ecosystem also offered favourable conditions, fostering a variety of plant species. In contrast, annual watershed areas exhibit the least soil nutrient support due to potential leaching effects. There was a notable positive correlation was observed between soil moisture and soil pH, percentage nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium content (p<0.05). Specifically, significant positive correlations were identified between soil pH and phosphorus, as well as between soil pH and potassium (p < 0.05).More so, analysis of variance showed a significant difference between sites in all the physiochemical parameters examined (p<00.05).

Growth and Yield of Onion (<i>Allium cepa</i> L.) as Affected by Variable Rates of Poultry Manure and Mineral Nitrogen Fertilizer at Alage, Central Rift Valley Ethiopia

Onion is one of the important vegetable crops produced in many home gardens and in some extent commercially in different parts of Ethiopia. Therefore, this experiment was conducted at Alage Central Rift Valley of Ethiopia with the objectives of assessing the growth, yield, and quality response of onion to the variable rates of poultry manure and mineral nitrogen fertilizer. The experiment comprising of three nitrogen levels (0, 46, and 92 kg ha<sup>-1</sup>) and four levels of poultry manure (0, 5, 10, and 15 t ha<sup>-1</sup>) were laid out in a randomized complete block design with three replications. The result indicated that leaf length, leaf number, days to maturity, bulb length, and bulb dry matter content were significantly influenced by main factors. Application of poultry manure at the rate of 15 t ha<sup>-1</sup> recorded the highest total bulb yield (63.33 t ha<sup>-1</sup>) and marketable bulb yield (62.52 t ha<sup>-1</sup>), but statistically, there was no significant difference between 15t ha<sup>-1</sup> and 10t ha<sup>-1</sup> poultry manure application. The results of the partial budget analysis showed that 15 t ha<sup>-1</sup> poultry manure application gave the highest marginal rate of returns. Since the highest bulb yield and maximum marginal rate of returns are obtained at 15 t ha<sup>-1</sup> poultry manure application, this rate can be recommended for onion production in the researched area, and areas having similar agro-ecologies. However, as the research is conducted for a single season and location, repeating the experiment over location and year will be required to give a conclusive recommendation.

Effect of Bioactive Compound (Poultry Manure) on the Yield and Capsaicinoid Content of Sweet Pepper (Capsicum annuum L.) Cultivars

To assess the impact of poultry manure fertilization on the yield and capsaicinoid content of sweet pepper cultivars, field experiments were carried out during the 2018 rainy seasons at two locations within the Sudan savanna agro-ecological region: the Teaching and Research Farm Bayero University Kano (l1o 58 N, 8o 25 E, and altitude 458 m) and Kadawa Irrigation Scheme Bunkure (l1o 42 N, 8o 33 E, and altitude 476 m). The experiment was a 4 x 3 factorial laid out in a randomized complete block design with four replicates comprising four levels of poultry manure (PM) (0, 1.0, 2.0, and 3.0 tha-1) and three cultivars of sweet pepper (Tattasai Dan Damasak, Yolo wonder and Nsukka yellow). The result reveals that the growth, yield and capcisinoid content of sweet pepper cultivars were greatly influenced by the application of PM. The application of 3.0 tha-1 of PM significantly gave taller plants, more branches, larger leaves, and a higher number of fruits. Similarly, the Dan Damasak cultivar significantly produced higher growth characters above, except for the number of fruits plant-1. The Dan Damasak and Yolo wonder cultivars at BUK and Yolo wonder at BKR significantly gave a higher number of fruit plants. Fresh fruit yield, total fruit yield, and capsaicinoid content were significantly higher with 3.0 tha-1 of PM at both locations. The Dan Damasak cultivar resulted in higher yield related characters at both locations. The capsaicinoid content was, however, significantly higher with Nsukka yellow (17.43 and 18.83 mg kg-1) at BUK and BKR locations, respectively. Thus, the application of 3.0 tha-1 PM combined with the Dan Damasak cultivar for improved growth and yield, while the Nsukka Yellow cultivar and the application of 3.0 tha-1 PM for higher capsaicinoid could be suggested to the farmers in the study area to improve the productivity of the crop.

The efficiency of salicylic acid and poultry manure on growth and volatile oil production of Coriandrum sativum L. plants.

This research was conducted during the two experimental seasons 2021/2022 and 2022/2023 to explore the effect of salicylic acid (SA) concentrations at 0.75.150 and 300 ppm, fertilization of poultry manure (PM) on rats 0, 5, 10/ and 20 m3/ha as well as their interactions on growth, yield and volatile oil components of Coriander (Coriandrum sativum L.). It resulted in a significant increase in plant growth traits in terms of plant height, number of branches, fresh and dry weed weight, number of threads, and seed yield per plant and hectare, when plants were treated with fine particles at a high concentration (300 ppm). While the highest values for volatile oil production were when spraying at a concentration of 200 parts per million, it was also proven that poultry manure at all levels was more effective in increasing the previously studied traits. All tested variables were significantly affected by the interaction coefficients. In this respect, most of the combination therapies significantly increased all aspects examined. Moreover, foliar application at 300 ppm SA plus high level (20 m3/ha) was the most effective treatment for growth and yield characteristics while oil production was better at 200 ppm concentration with the same level of poultry manure. GC-MS analysis of the volatile oil indicated that poultry manure and foliar applications with salicylic acid concentrations also affected the major constituents. The combination of SA at 200 and 300 ppm plus PM at the higher level (20 m3/ha) resulted in increased percentages of major components compared to the untreated plants and the other treatments.

Effects Of Lime And Poultry Manure On Soil Properties And Cucumber (Cucumis Sativum L) Performance In The Humid Tropics Of Southern Nigeria

Purpose: To investigate the effect of lime and organic fertilizer on soil properties and the performance of cucumber in Calabar.
 Method: Factorial combination of three levels of lime (0, 4 and 8 t/ha) and three levels of poultry manure (0, 3 and 6 t/ha), laid out in randomized complete block design (RCBD) with three replications. Data were collected on crop growth and yield indices, and soil properties (physical, chemical and biological) each year, then combined and analyzed. Fisher’s least significant difference (FLSD) at 5 % probability was used to compare the means.
 Results: There was increase in soil pH, total nitrogen, organic carbon, phosphorus, potassium, calcium and magnesium as well as the population of beneficial soil microorganisms. Lime, poultry manure (PM) and their interactions significantly (p <.0. 05) influenced the vegetative growth and fruit yield of cucumber. Cucumber treated with 8 t/ha lime had the highest vegetative growth and fruit yield (22.64 t/ha) values. Cucumber treated with 6 t/ha PM had superior growth and fruit yield (17.89 t/ha) than the control (14.27 t/ha). The interaction of 8 t/ha lime and 6 t/ha PM produced the highest values of vegetative growth and fruit yield of 25.66 t/ha and is therefore recommended for effective soil enhancement and optimum cucumber production in Calabar.
 

Combined influence of ash and poultry manure on soil reaction and performance of maize (<i>Zea mays</i>) in a coarse-textured acid soil of South-East, Nigeria

Crop production can be limited by soil acidity. A two-factor factorial experiment involving three levels each of ash and poultry manure (PM) was conducted to determine the effects of ash and PM on soil reaction and performance of maize in an acid soil. The ash comprised of mixture of ash from wood, cocoa husk and palm bunch. The levels of ash (0.00, 3.00, 6.00 t ha–1 ) and PM (0.00, 4.00, 8.00 t ha–1 ) were combined to obtain nine treatment combinations (control, 3.00 ash and 0.00 PM, 3.00 ash and 4.00 PM, 3.00 ash and 8.00 PM, 0.00 ash and 4.00 PM, 3.00 ash and 0.00 PM) which were replicated thrice. The experiment was laid out in a randomized complete block design. Soil samples were collected at 3, 6, 9 and 12 weeks after planting (WAP), plant height measured at 3, 5, 7, and 9 WAP while cob oven-dry weight was measured after oven-drying harvested cobs at maturity. Analysis of variance was conducted on the data collected using GenStat version 14. The highest plant height of 132.50 cm at 12 WAP and the highest oven-dry cob weight of 7.15 t ha–1 were obtained from plots treated with 6.00 and 8.00 t ha-1 of ash and PM, respectively, and these were significantly (p ≤ 0.05) different from the other treatments. The lowest exchangeable acidity of 1.33 cmol kg–1 which varied significantly (p ≤ 0.05) from the other values observed at the other plots was obtained at the plot treated with the combination of 6.00 and 4.00 t ha–1 of ash and PM, respectively at 12 WAP. The combination of ash and PM at 3.00 and 8.00 t ha–1 gave the highest pH of 6.80, and this was significantly (p ≤ 0.05) different from the other treatments. Therefore, ash and PM at varying levels of combination can simultaneously ameliorate soil acidity and improve maize performance; however, the best combination of ash and PM application which showed the potential to produce optimum effect in simultaneously ameliorating soil acidity and increasing maize performance was the combination of 6.00 tonnes of ash and 8.00 tonnes of PM.

Comparative Study of Tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) Cultivation Through Organic and Conventional Farming

As organic farming gains popularity worldwide, it is crucial to investigate the potential benefits of using poultry manure as an organic fertilizer source. This study aimed to assess the comparative performance of tomato cultivation under organic and conventional farming practices, with a specific focus on the effects of varying rates of poultry manure applications. The research was carried out at the Teaching and Research Farm of College of Agriculture Science and Technology Jalingo, Taraba State, Nigeria. This was conducted during the 2021 cropping season (April - June) with four levels of poultry manure. Three (3) application rate of poultry manure (5.0 tha-1, 8.0 tha-1, and 11 tha-1) was used to compare with the control/check with no application of poultry manure, all replicated four times in a randomized complete block design. The objective of this research was to determine the impact of different rates of poultry manure application on tomato growth and yield potentials. After a thorough evaluation of the experimental plots, it was found that the treatment with 11tha-1 of poultry manure demonstrated superior performance compared to the other treatment levels. The tomatoes grown with this application rate exhibited significantly higher yields and improved plant vigor, as confirmed by the recorded data. The study's findings provide valuable insights for local farmers, as this research supports the use of 11 tha-1 poultry manure application as an effective strategy to enhance tomato cultivation and maximize yield potential. The necessity of conducting this research arises from the need to optimize tomato cultivation practices and address the growing demand for sustainable and environmentally friendly farming methods. The study also provides evidence that the application of 11 tha-1 poultry manure significantly improves tomato cultivation outcomes. The results obtained underline the relevance of optimizing nutrient management practices in organic and conventional farming systems, fostering enhanced yield potential, and promoting sustainable agricultural practices for future food security.

Maximizing yield of aromatic fine rice through application of zinc and poultry manure

Zinc (Zn), one of the most important micronutrients for plants which play vital role in various metabolic functions and deficiency of this nutrient in agricultural soils associated with lower yield of rice in many regions of the world. The integrated use of organic and inorganic fertilizer has been found to be promising for sustainable crop production and poultry manure could be a rich source of organic matter. Considering these factors, a field experiment was conducted to observe the effect of zinc and poultry manure-based fertilization on the yield of aromatic fine rice, BRRI dhan34. Four levels of zinc and three levels of poultry manure (PM) were tested as treatment including control. Application of zinc, PM and their interaction significantly influenced the growth and yield of rice that result the tallest plant (131.33 cm), maximum number of effective tillers/hill (13.89), grains/panicle (128.54), 1000-grain weight (12.09 g) and highest grain yield (3.21 t/ha) where 4 kg Zn/ha were applied. On the other hand, tallest plant (129.92 cm), maximum number of effective tillers/hill (9.13), grains/panicle (128.23), 1000-grain weight (12.05) and grain yield (3.24 t/ha) were obtained where 10 t/ha of PM were applied. The interaction between application of 4 kg Zn/ha and 10 t PM/ha performed best in all yield contributing characters and results maximum grain yield (3.64 t/ha). Therefore, 4 kg Zn/ha along with 10 t PM/ha was found to be suitable combination for cultivation of aromatic fine rice.

Integrated Nutrient Management in Green Gram (Vigna radiata L.) for Enhancing Soil Health

Integrated nutrient management (INM) is a holistic approach that involves the application of organic and inorganic fertilizers to improve soil health and crop productivity. The research study was conducted to demonstrate the effective use of INM on soil health in Green gram. We used a randomized block design (RBD) with four levels of poultry manure @ 0, 50, 75 and 100% ha-1, four levels of nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium@ 0, 50, 75 and 100% ha-1 and rhizobium seed treatment. The revealed that treatment T9 (N20P40K40 kg ha-1 + PM @ 5 t ha-1 and Rhi @ 200g 10 kg-1 Seed) resulted in a slight change in soil pH 6.82, electrical conductivity (EC) 0.198 dS m-1. In post-harvest soil of fertilizers observations showed significant increase in pore space 49.20 %, water holding capacity 47.59 %, organic carbon 0.49 %, and available N 334.23 kg ha-1, P 34.58 kg ha-1, K 202.83 kg ha-1. The increase in NPK was found to be significant (P<0.05) among other treatments in Green gram cultivation and soil quality improvement. The application of N P K with poultry manure was a magnificent source of fertilization.

Effects of Poultry Manure on Soil Fertility, Growth and Yield of White Yam and Yellow Yam

Field experiments were conducted at Owo in the forest-savanna transition zone of southwestern Nigeria during 2007 and 2008cropping seasons to study the effect of different levels of poultry manure(0, 10, 20, 30 and 40 t/ha) on soil fertility, leaf nutrient content, growthand tuber yield of two species of yam; namely, white yam (Dioscorearotundata Poir) and yellow yam (Dioscorea cayenensis Lam). Thetreatments were factorially arranged in a randomized block design withthree replications. The soil was deficient in organic matter (OM), total N,available P, exchangeable K, Ca and Mg. The results showed that poultrymanure increased soil and leaf N, P, K, Ca and Mg, and soil OM, growthand tuber yield of the yams compared with the control treatments. Whiteyam produced significantly higher yield than yellow yam. Compared withyellow yam, white yam increased tuber yield by 19%, 26%, 36%, 3% and12%, respectively, for 0, 10, 20, 30 and 40 t/ha poultry manure.Application of poultry manure at 20 t/ha and 30 t/ha significantlyimproved growth and tuber yield of white yam and yellow yam,respectively, compared with the other treatments. These levels of poultrymanure are, therefore, recommended for the two yam species in forest-savanna transition zone of southwest Nigeria. Recommendations ofmanure for yam production should be variety specific.

Impacts of fertilization management strategies on improved sorghums varieties in smallholder farming systems in Mali: Productivity and profitability differences

Sorghum is an important cereal crop cultivated by smallholder farmers of Mali, contributing significantly to their food demand and security. The study evaluated different fertilization strategies that combined organic and inorganic fertilizer applications with three sorghum varieties. The experiments were conducted over three cropping seasons (2017–2019) in three sites (Bamako, Bougouni, and Koutiala respectively) within the Sudanian region of Mali. Our results showed a significant effect of season, variety, and fertilization strategies on grain and stalk yields. Grain yield increased by 8–40% in Koutiala, 11–53% in Bougouni, and 44–110% in Bamako while the average stalk yield was above 5000 kg ha−1 with fertilized treatment compared to unfertilized treatment in the three sites. Fadda performed the best variety, mean grain yield was 23% and 42% higher than that of Soumba and Tieble, respectively. Similarly, there was a progressive increase in grain yield with an increasing level of poultry manure (PM) from 0 to 150 g/hill and cattle manure (CM) from 0 to 100 g/hill. However, the application of 100 g/hill of CM and PM plus 3 g/hill of Di-ammonium Phosphate (DAP) increased yield by 8% and 12% respectively compared to only CM or PM treatments. The results further revealed higher yield gain by 51% (Bamako), 57% (Koutiala), and 42% (Bougouni) for T10-[PM (100 g/hill) + Micro-D_DAP (3 g/hill)] equivalent to 73 kgNha−1 than others (T2-T9), but not proportionate to the highest value-cost ratio (VCR). Radar charts used to visualize sustainable intensification (SI) performance in the three domains (productivity, profitability, and environment) showed that the environmental variable has a direct influence on productivity, meanwhile profitability across the strategies ranged from low to moderate value across sites and different fertilizer strategies. Our study, therefore, recommends the use of multiple-choice fertilizer strategies includingT2-CM (50 g/hill)+PM(50 g/hill), T5-DAP-Micro-D (3 g/hill), T6-DAP41:46:00 and T9-PM(50 g/hill) alongside with improved sorghum varieties tested, for higher productivity and profitability across the region.

The Ameliorating Effects of Biochar and Poultry Manure on the Properties of Two Degraded Soils and Sweet Potato Yield in Sub-Humid Nigeria

ABSTRACT Soil amendments and critical agronomic practices like biochar (B) and poultry manure (PM) change soil characteristics and have a direct impact on soil sustainability and crop productivity. Hence, a two-year field trial was conducted in the forest-savanna transition zone of southwest Nigeria at two locations (Owo – site A and Obasooto – site B) to examine the impacts of different levels of biochar (B) and poultry manure (PM) on soil physical and chemical qualities, sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas L.) growth, and yield. The experiment consisted of a 2 × 4 × 3 factorial layout with three replicates. The treatments applied at two locations were: four levels of biochar (B) (0, 10.0, 20.0 and 30.0 t ha−1) and three levels of poultry manure (PM) (0, 5.0 and 10.0 t ha−1). The biochar (B) and poultry manure (PM) significantly (p = .05) improved both soil physical and chemical properties, sweet potato growth and yield with their rates of application when compared to the control. In comparison to Owo (site A), Obasooto (site B) had significantly higher sweet potato growth and yield, and better soil properties. Application of 30.0 t ha−1 biochar (B) and 10.0 t ha−1 poultry manure (PM) had the best sweet potato growth and yield parameters of all the biochar (B) combined with poultry manure (PM) treatments.

Using soybeans, manure, organic npk® (compost) and npk fertilizer to enhance soil nutrients, organic matter and grain yield of sorghum in makurdi, nigeria

A field trial was conducted in 2016 and 2017 at Commercial Crop Farms of the University of Agriculture, Makurdi to evaluate the effect of manure, compost and NPK fertilizer under soybeans-sorghum mixed cropping. The experiment consisted of three (3) levels of poultry manure (0, 2.0 and 3.5 t/ha), three (3) levels of compost manure (0, 0.2 and 0.4 t/ha) and three (3) levels of NPK (0, 30 and 60 KgN/ha). Soybean was intercropped with sorghum as a nitrogen fixer in selected plots. The experiment was laid out in a Randomised Complete Block Design and replicated three (3) times. Soybean as nutrient source marginally enhanced organic matter and nutrients content in the soil. Poultry manure retains the highest concentration of OM and nutrients in the soil compared to compost and NPK fertilizer. Also, grain yield of sorghum was significant at (P<0.05) with manure and fertilizer application; NPK fertilizer at 60 kg N/ha in sorghum-legume mixture gave the highest yield (1035.0 kg/ha and 1138.4 kg/ha in 2016 and 2017 respectively). The lowest yield was obtained from non fertilizer treatments. The concentration of organic matter and plant nutrients elements in the soil and grain yield of sorghum were enhanced by addition of manure and fertilizer. Therefore, sustainable cultivation of sorghum is possible via the use of fertilizer, manure and a nitrogen fixer are used as soil amendments

Effect of organic manures on growth, yield and economics of onion (Allium cepa L.) in agroclimatic condition of Satna region

The field experiment was conducted during winter season of 2021-22 at the Research Farm, A.K.S. University, Satna (M.P.) The soil of the experimental field was silty clayloam having pH 7.91, electrical conductivity 0.18 dS/m, organic carbon 0.47%, available N, P2O5 and K2O 174.62, 12.14 and 200 kg/ha, respectively. The total rainfall received during crop season 2021-22 was 12.01 mm. The treatments comprised three levels of poultry manure (2, 5 and 7 t/ha) and four levels of vermicompost (2, 5, 7 and 10 t/ha). Thus 12 treatment combinations (T1 - Poultry manure 2 t/ha + vermicompost 2 t/ha,T2 - Poultry manure 2 t/ha + vermicompost 5 t/ha, T3 - Poultry manure 2 t/ha + vermicompost 7 t/ha,T4 - Poultry manure 2 t/ha + vermicompost 10 t/ha, T5 - Poultry manure 5 t/ha + vermicompost 2 t/ha, T6 – Poultry manure 5 t/ha + vermicompost 5 t/ha, T7 - Poultry manure 5 t/ha + vermicompost 7 t/ha,T8 - Poultry manure 5 t/ha + vermicompost 10 t/ha,T9 - Poultry manure 7 t/ha + vermicompost 2 t/ha, T10 - Poultry manure 7 t/ha + vermicompost 5 t/ha,T11 - Poultry manure 7 t/ha + vermicompost 7 t/ha and T12 - Poultry manure 7 t/ha + vermicompost 10 t/ha) were laid out in a randomized block design keeping three replications. Onion variety Agrifound Light Red was transplanted on 29 October 2021 following the cultural practices as per treatments. The crop was grown as per recommended package of practices. The crop was harvested on 16 April 2022. The periodical field and laboratory observations were recorded and presented after statistical computation. The TSS in mature bulbs was determined by hand refract meter.

Response of quality, yield and growth of amaranth (Amaranthus hybridus) and soil chemical properties on application of organic and inorganic nutrients

Poultry manure (PM) is limited by large quantity required for large scale vegetable production, to avert this problem, integrating inorganic (urea) with organic (PM) fertilizers is recently been advocated. Hence, two field experiments were carried out in years 2016 and 2017 at Landmark University, Omu-Aran, Kwara State, Nigeria to evaluate the effects of sole and integrated applications of poultry manure (PM) and urea fertilizer (UF) on soil chemical properties, growth, yield and quality of green Amaranth (Amaranthus hybridus). The study was laid out in 2 x 4 x 4 factorial experiment with two years (2016 and 2017), four levels of PM (0, 40, 80 and 120 kg N/ha) and four levels of UF (0, 40, 80 and 120 kg N/ha) application. The sixteen treatment combinations were arranged in a randomized complete block design having four replications. Results showed that UF and PM alone or their integration improved soil organic matter (OM), N, P, K, Ca, Mg (urea alone did not increase OM, P and K significantly), yield and growth indices, minerals (urea alone only increased leaf N), moisture, fibre, protein, dry matter, ash and reduced fat content of Amaranthus leaves compared with the control. Although fresh plant weight/plot (yield), plant height, leaf N and moisture contents of Amaranthus increased up to 120 kg N/ha, for both sole UF and PM (yield was 280 kg in 2016 and 310 kg in 2017 for PM while yield for UF was 250 kg in 2016 and 247 kg in 2017, plant height was 0.75 m in 2016 and 0.81 in 2017 for PM while UF was 0.67 m in 2016 and 0.65 m in 2017, Leaf N was 2.98% in 2016 and 3.41% in 2017 for PM while UF was 2.50% in 2016 and 2.44% in 2017, moisture content was 87.60% in 2016 and 90.20% in 2017 for PM and 86.4% in 2016 and 89.60% in 2017 for UF), soil and leaf K, Ca and Mg, ash, protein, dry matter and fibre were increased only up to 80 kg N/ha for PM and 40 kg N/ha for UF. This levels (80 kg N/ha for PM and 40 kg N/ha for UF) correspond to the optimum level for the production of quality Amaranthus in the agro ecological zone or similar soil elsewhere. For improving the overall quality, integrating UF at 40 kg N/ha with PM at 80 kg N/ha is recommended.

Poultry manure effects on yield and some agronomic components of Soybean (Glycine max L.) under Khost agro-ecological conditions, Afghanistan

Soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merrill], which has the highest protein content of all food crops, is the world’s leading source of protein and oil. Soybeans are commonly consumed by humans in the form of soymilk, soy protein, tofu, infant formula, miso, natto, soy flour, and soy sauce. They are a popular protein-rich food source in most Asian countries. Worldwide, approximately 85% of soybean's produce has been processed into soy food. While in developing countries like Afghanistan, limited farmers used inorganic fertilizers in soybean fields through the high cost, marketing problems and poor economic conditions. If we have alternative resources for soil fertility like organic manure, this problem can somewhat be solved. The objective of this study was to test the effects of different levels of poultry manure on the yield and yield components of the soybean crop. The field experiment was conducted in 2019 in Almara Village of Nadar Shah Kot District of Khost Province. Soybean variety LD04-13265 was grown with four levels of manure (0, 1, 2, and 4 tons ha-1) using Randomized Complete Block Design with three replicates. Results revealed that manure invariably influenced most parameters under study. The highest grain yield (1212.95 kg ha-1) was obtained with 4 tons ha-1 (T3) followed by T2 and T1 (1145.16 and 1138.24, respectively). Poultry manure also had positive effects on the agronomic characters. Plant height, number of branches, pods plant-1, seed pod-1 were among the most affected. Correlation analysis revealed significant positive correlations among the grain yield and yield components but non correlation was found for 100 seed weight with other observed parameters. As per the results of this research, 4 tons of poultry manure is the optimum amount to be used for soybean production.

Response of late sown wheat (Triticum aestivum l.) to organic and liquid manures on yield and economics

A field experiment was carried out during Rabi season of 2021 at crop research form, Department of Agriculture, SDBIT to study about the “Response of late sown wheat (Triticum aestivum l..) to organic and liquid manures on growth and yield”. The experiment was laid out in randomized block design by keeping three Poultry manure levels, i.e. PM1 - (PM 2t/ha), PM2 – (PM 2.5t/ha) and PM3 – (PM 3 t/ha) and Liquid manures (Panchagavya 3% and Vermiwash 3%) which was replicated three thrice. Results revealed that Poultry Manure 3.0 t/ha + Panchagavya 3% + Vermiwash 3 % recorded significantly higher in grain yield (3.24 t/ha), straw yield (4.41 t/ha) and harvest index (42.13 %). However, net returns (75,870.00 INR/ha) and B: C ratio (1.41) was also obtained with the application of Poultry Manure 3.0 t/ha + Panchagavya 3% + Vermiwash 3 %. Therefore, I concluded that Poultry Manure 3.0 t/ha + Panchagavya 3% + Vermiwash 3 % was produced more grains (3.24 t/ha) and economic effective (1.41).

Effect of organic and inorganic sources of nutrition on productivity and economics of tomato (Lycopersicum esculentum) in Varanasi

A field experiment was conducted during winter season of 2016- 2017 to find out the effect of different organic and inorganic sources of nutrition on growth, productivity and economics of tomato cultivation in Varanasi region. The organic sources of fertilizer were farmyard manure (FYM), poultry manure (PM), vermicompost (VC) with three levels of each and one chemical fertilizer dose applied as 100% RDF of NPK. The chemical fertilizer (CF) was applied at recommended dose of 180:60:60 kg/ha of N:P2O5:K2O. The application of 10 t poultry manure/ha recorded maximum growth and fruit yield (584.69 q/ha), which was significantly superior to its own lower levels of poultry manure and rest of organic manures as well as inorganically cultivated tomato crop, i.e. 100% RDF of NPK through chemical fertilizer. However, higher levels of each organic manure gave significantly higher growth and fruit yield. Lowest net return was observed with treatment (VC: 2.5, t vermicompost/ha). Crop alimentation of tomato by supplying 10 t PM/ha recorded highest benefit:cost ratio (3.39) among organic sources. While, within organic and inorganic sources; application of RDF of NPK through chemical fertilizer recorded quite lesser benefit:cost ratio (3.36) than organically grown tomato.

Effect of Varying Levels of Poultry Manure and Inorganic Fertilizer on the Growth and Yield of Cucumber in Anyigba, Kogi State

The growth and yield of cucumber in response to the effect of poultry manure and inorganic fertilizer (NPK 20:10:10) was evaluated at the Teaching and Research farm of Kogi State University Anyigba, Nigeria during the 2021 raining season. Treatment consisted of poultry manure which was applied at 0, 7.5 and 15t/ha and inorganic fertilizer (NPK 20:10:10), applied at the rate of 0, 0.2, 0.4 and 0.6t/ha respectively. The experiment was laid in a Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) with three replicates following all agronomic practices as recommended. Combined rates of poultry manure at 15t/ha and 0.6t/ha of fertilizer were found to significantly increased (P≤0.05) growth characters such as number of leaves, vine length at 4, 6 and 8WAS. Longest vines of 602.75cm and 213.75leaves was obtained with combined application of 15t/ha PM + 0.6t/ha NPK fertilizer at 8WAS respectively. Similarly, Fruit length, Number of fruits, Fruit weight/plant, Fruit yield/ha were significantly influenced (P≤0.05) by the combined application of 15t/ha PM + 0.4t/ha NPK, while the control plots consistently gave the least yield across sampling periods.