Response of Growth and Yield of Pineapple (Ananas comosus) on Spent Mushroom Substrates and Inorganic Fertilizer in South – South, Nigeria | Chapter 07 | New Perspectives in International Plant and Soil Research Vol. 1
Introduction:
Pineapple (Ananas comosus) is a perennial crop and can be cultivated any time
of the year, so long as soil moisture is available. The production of pineapple
in south – south of Nigeria is constrained by low soil fertility due to
continued cultivation without replenishment of the soil with any soil amendment
materials. This has also led to reduction of crop yields in the region. Soil
amendments are substances used for correcting the acidity or alkalinity of the
soil which was as a result of high rainfall associated in the region.
Aim:
The experiment on pineapple (Ananas comosus) was conducted in 2013 at the
Teaching and Research Farm of Faculty of Agriculture, University of Port
Harcourt, Nigeria using soil enrichment materials. The experiment was aimed at
comparing the best soil enrichment material that can enhance the production of
pineapple in southern part of Nigeria.
Study
Design: The experimental design used was a
randomized complete block design in three (3) replications.
Methodology:
The soil enrichment materials used for the study were spent mushroom substrate
(SMS), and inorganic fertilizer (NPK 15:15:15) and no treatment as control. The
growth and yield attributes measured in the field included plant height, number
of leaves, leaf area, length of leaves, number of fruits and fruits weight.
Results:
These attributes increased significantly due to application of the soil
enrichment materials which led to continuous supply of nutrients as against the
control (no treatment) which gave lower values in all the growth and yield
parameters measured. The results of the trial on growth parameter showed that
spent mushroom substrate gave a significant difference (P<0.05) against the
inorganic fertilizer used. On fruit production, it was observed that spent
mushroom substrate and inorganic fertilizer did not show any significant
difference (P>0.05), though a higher fruit yield of 6.7 (12.42 kg/plot) was
obtained in SMS than in inorganic fertilizer (NPK 15:15:15) which had 6.0 (9.87
kg/plot).
Conclusion: Therefore, farmers in
South-South of Nigeria are advised to plant pineapple using spent mushroom
substrate more than inorganic fertilizer (NPK 15:15:15) as soil enrichment
material for better growth and increase in yield.
Author(s) Details
J. A. Orluchukwu
Department of Crop and Soil
Science, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Port Harcourt, P.M.B. 5323 Choba
Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Nigeria.
O. M. Adedokun
Department of Crop and Soil
Science, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Port Harcourt, P.M.B. 5323 Choba
Port Harcourt, Rivers State, Nigeria.
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