Asian Journal of Soil Science and Plant Nutrition

1(2): 1-6, 2017; Article no.AJSSPN.35184

Effect of Time and Rate of Application of Poultry

Manure on the Growth and Yield of Okra
(Abelmoschus esculentus (L) Moench) in the
Cross River Rain Forest Area, Nigeria
J. D. Ntia1, J. O. Shiyam1* and E. D. Offiong1
1
Department of Crop Science, University of Calabar, PMB 1115 Calabar, Nigeria.

Authors’ contributions

This work was carried out in collaboration between all authors. Author JDN designed the study,
performed the statistical analysis, wrote the protocol and the first draft of the manuscript. Author JOS
managed the analyses of the study. Author EDO managed the literature searches. All authors read
and approved the final manuscript.

Article Information

DOI: 10.9734/AJSSPN/2017/35184
Editor(s):
(1) ScD Victoria Anatolyivna Tsygankova, Department for Chemistry of Bioactive Nitrogen-Containing Heterocyclic Compounds,
Institute of Bio-organic Chemistry and Petrochemistry, NAS, Kyiv, Ukraine.
Reviewers:
(1) Isaac Kojo Arah, Ho Technical University, Ghana.
(2) Adjolohoun Sébastien, University of Abomey-Calavi, Benin.
Complete Peer review History: http://www.sciencedomain.org/review-history/20161

Received 30th June 2017

st
Original Research Article Accepted 21 July 2017
nd
Published 22 July 2017

ABSTRACT

Aims: The aim of the experiment was to evaluate the effects of time and rate of application of
poultry manure (PM) on the performance of an early maturity okra (Abelmoschus esculentus (L.)
Moench) variety ‘Clemson spineless VGTH-014K.
Study Design: The experimental design was the randomized complete block design (RCBD) with
three replications.
Place and Duration of the Study: The field experiment was conducted the University of Calabar
Teaching and Research Farm from June to September, 2016.
Methodology: The treatments consisted of 5 and 10 PM t/ha incorporated each into the soil at 1
and 2 weeks before planting, at planting, 2 weeks after planting, and zero poultry manure (0 t PM
/ha) served as the control to give a total of 9 experimental units.
Results: The results obtained indicated that application of poultry manure at different times
significantly (P ≤ 0.05) influenced the vegetative and fruit yield parameters okra evaluated.
_____________________________________________________________________________________________________

*Corresponding author: Email: [email protected];

Email: [email protected];
 Ntia et al.; AJSSPN, 1(2): 1-6, 2017; Article no.AJSSPN.35184

Statistically, 10 t of PM/ha had the best effect on okra performance irrespective of the time of
application. However, early application at two weeks before planting produced the tallest plants
(39.70 cm), highest number of leaves (22.67) and branches (9.67) per plant and highest leaf area
index value (44.96). Also the highest fresh (1.43 t/ha) and dry pod yield (0.55 t/ha) as well as
highest dry seed yield of 308 kg/ha were obtained in this treatment.
Conclusion: PM rates incorporated before planting were more effective than the corresponding
rates applied at other periods. The optimum performance of okra was obtained at 10 t PM/ha and
could be recommended for enhanced productivity of the crop in the study area.

Keywords: Food security; humid areas; poultry manure; time of application; VGTH-014K.

1. INTRODUCTION Organic agriculture which avoids or largely

excludes the use agrochemicals offers a
Okra (Abelmoschus esculentus (L.) Moench) sustainable alternative farming system to
also known as ladies’s fingers, is an annual minimize the evils of chemical farming. Organic
herbaceous vegetable cultivated throughout the soil fertility management utilizes the application
tropical, sub-tropical and warm temperate of compost, manures, green manure and other
regions of the world [1,2]. It is considered one of organic amendments to replenish soil nutrients
the most versatile crops with multiple health and enhance crop performance [13,14].
benefits [3] and high industrial potential for high
Animal manures are an excellent source of
quality edible oil [4] and biofuel production [5,6].
organic matter and soil nutrients and the
The crop is valued for its nutritious edible green
utilization of organic manures in soil fertility
seed pods which produce a mucilaginous
management is an integral part of sustainable
‘drawing’ mash much cherished for soup [7].
agriculture [15]. Organic matter in soil improves
Okra is usually grown in compound gardens and
moisture and nutrient retention and soil physical
smallholder plots in Nigeria and is commonly
properties [16]. Adding compost to garden soils
found in almost all Nigerian markets throughout
improves soil structure, increases the population
the year [8].
of beneficial microbes, increases soil moisture
retention, reduces nutrient loss, boosts pH and
The demand for okra in the country is usually can suppress certain diseases [17]. Organically
high especially in the dry season when most fertilized crops have been shown to exhibit high
local leafy vegetables are in short supply. But the resistance and tolerance to both biotic and
output is frequently far from satisfying the abiotic stresses, and are also more nutritious and
demand resulting in the high cost of the crop more palatable with longer shelf-life than those
commonly experienced especially in urban produced with synthetic inputs [17].
centers. The low productivity of okra and other
vegetables in Nigeria has been attributed to The quantity and time of applying manures are of
several factors including soil constraints such as critical importance in crop production. When
poor fertility, soil acidity and nutrients imbalances properly applied, manures can be valuable
[9, 10], posing a serious threat to food security in resources for crop production [18]. The fertility
countries experiencing rapid population quality of manures varies widely and the quantity
expansion such as Nigeria. to be applied depends on the nutrient content of
the material. The okra plant has a sensitive
Chemical fertilizers are frequently used to balance between the vegetative growth and pod
rejuvenate and maintain soil fertility to boost farm production. Too much nitrogen from excess
productivity but long-term reliance on synthetic manures can reduce the yield and quality of
fertilizers jeopardizes the environment leading to many vegetables. Application of manures like
unsustainable crop production [11]. Also the any fertilizer, can lead to nutrient leaching and
extent to which chemical farming can be pollution of groundwater and streams [17]. To
depended on to increase farm output is maximize the economic and fertilizer value of
constrained by the high cost and untimely organic manures, their application should match
availability of the right type of inorganic fertilizers the nutrient needs of the crops. The objective of
as well as lack of technical skills and limited this trial was to determine the optimum rate and
financial capacity of traditional farmers who appropriate time of application of poultry manure
dominate crop agriculture in Nigeria for their for enhanced okra productivity in Calabar
livelihood to purchase the fertilizers [12]. rainforest ecology.

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 Ntia et al.; AJSSPN, 1(2): 1-6, 2017; Article no.AJSSPN.35184

2. MATERIALS AND METHODS runoff and erosion within the gross experimental
plot.
2.1 Experimental Site
2.6 Harvesting
The experiment was carried out at the Teaching
and Research Farm of the Department of Crop Harvesting of fresh fruits commenced 5 weeks
Science University of Calabar, Calabar after planting (WAP) and was done every 2 days
Metropolis located in the Cross River rainforest up to 9 WAP after which the fruits were allowed
area between latitudes of 4° 45’30’’ and 5° 08’ 30’’ to mature fully and dry on the plants to obtain the
N and longitudes 8° 11’ 21’’ and 8° 27’ 00’’with seed yield. The fully grown immature fruits were
altitude o 32 m above sea level. The area cut off neatly using a sharp razor. No pod was
receives an average annual rainfall of 2500 mm. allowed to overmature in order not to reduce the
The lengthy rainy season spanning nine months harvest duration and future yield. The cumulative
lasts from March/April to October/November with fresh fruit yield was determined at the end of
bimodal distribution in July and September. The fresh fruit harvest. The dry pods were harvested,
mean maximum and minimum temperatures are weighed and shelled to determine the seed yield.
23 and 32°C respectively, while the relative
humidity ranges from 78% in the dry season to 2.7 Data Collection and Analysis
92% in the rainy season [19,20].
Data on vegetative growth were collected at 5
2.2 Seedbed Preparation WAP while the fruit yield parameters were taken
on the sample plants during each harvest. The
The land was cleared manually with machete, leaf area of each plant in the net plot was
fine tilled and seed beds of 3 m x 3 m made with determined by graphical method. The area
the aid of a spade. obtained was multiplied by the total number of
leaves and this gave the total leaf area per plant.
2.3 Treatments and Experimental Design The leaf area index was then calculated by
dividing the total leaf area per plot by the area of
The experimental treatments tested were 2 x 3 the plot.
factorial combinations of 5 and 10 t of poultry
manure (PM)/ha and three periods of Data collected were subjected to analysis of
applications: at planting, two weeks before variance (ANOVA) and significant means were
planting (WBP) and two weeks after planting compared using Duncan New Multiple Range
(WAP), while zero poultry manure served as a Test (DNMRT) at 5% probability level.
control treatment. This gave seven treatments
laid out in a randomized complete block design 3. RESULTS AND DISCUSSION
(RCBD) with three replications to give a total of
3.1 Okra Plant Growth Parameters
21 experimental units or plots.
The vegetative growth parameters of okra varied
2.4 Planting significantly (P = .05) among the various
rd treatments tested. Irrespective of the time of
Planting was done on 3 of June 2016. The application before planting, poultry manure at 10
seeds of the Clemson spineless early okra t/ha produced tallest plants, followed by those in
variety ‘VGTH-014K’ (premier brand seeds) plots applied with the same rate of manure at 2
soaked in were warm water overnight and air- WAP, and then 5 t/ha PM at 2 WBP, 5 t/ha PM at
dried before planting to hasten germination 1 WBP, while plants treated with PM at 5 t/ha at
.Three seeds were planted per hole at a depth of planting and at 2 WAP had similar plant height
2 – 3 cm and spaced 45 cm x 45 cm. Two weeks and shortest plants were in control plots (Table
after emergence, the plants were thinned to one 1). Plant height ranged from 38.92 cm to 39.4 cm
plant/stand giving 44 plants/plot (49,382 in plants that received the highest PM rate
plants/ha) out of which the 8 plants in the net plot whereas at 5 t PM/ha, plant height ranged from
were used as sample plants. 31.53 cm to 36.4 cm.

2.5 Maintenance of Experimental Plots Leaf production and the number of branches
followed the trend and were higher in all treated
Weeding was done manually at three weeks after plants that received 10 t PM/ha than those
planting using a hand-held hoe. Cross bunds fertilized with 5 t PM/ha, irrespective of the time
were constructed and plot edges raised to control of manure application.

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 Ntia et al.; AJSSPN, 1(2): 1-6, 2017; Article no.AJSSPN.35184

The plant canopy coverage represented by the WBP and lowest (35.5 kg/ha or 17%) at 2 WAP,
leaf area index (LAI) was also highest at 10 t while the seed yield increase obtained at 10 t
PM/ha, followed by 5 t PM/ha applied at 2 WAP, PM/ha was highest (99.2 kg/ha or 48%) and
5 t PM/ha applied at other times while lowest LAI lowest (78.0 kg/ha or 37%) in treatments
values were obtained in control plots. fertilized at 2 WBP and 2 WAP, respectively.

Among the treatments, application of 10 t PM/ha The performance of okra was better in plots that
two weeks before planting was most effective on received poultry manure early before planting
okra growth compared to other treatments. Okra compared with other treatments. The manure
plants in this treatment grew more rapidly and rates that were applied earlier were more
were taller by 3.27 – 8.17 cm and 11.5 cm than effective than the same rates applied late. Early
those treated with 5 t PM/ha at any time and application of poultry manure compared to late
those in the control plots respectively. The tallest application appeared to have increased
plants also produced the 10.34 – 12.67, 3.34 – morphological growth parameters and yield of
4.67 and 23.39 – 27.96 more leaves, branches okra. This could be explained by the fact that a
and higher LAI values respectively than 5 t time frame is needed for mineralization and
PM/ha and zero PM. release of nutrients from the poultry manure.
Thus, timing of fertilizer application to
3.2 Okra Yield and Fruit Yield Parameters synchronize with an active nutrient absorption by
plant is important critical in nutrient management.
The results on okra pod yield and yield attributes Okra growth was more enhanced leading to
indicated that poultry manure applied at either 5 increased leaf production, branches and leaf
t/ha or 10 t/ha irrespective of the time of area index due to early application of poultry
application significantly (P = .05) increased the manure. Increased foliage development reflected
yield parameters assessed. Poultry manure at 10 in increased LAI could have increased the net
t/ha applied 2 WBP recorded the highest fresh photo assimilate production and thus increase in
pod yield which did not vary from the yield yield of fresh pods and seed obtained in plots
obtained when the manure rate was applied at nourished earlier with at 10t/ha. Application of
other times, followed by 5 t PM/ha applied before poultry manure at or after planting did not
or at planting and 5 t PM/ha applied 2 WAP, enhance the growth of the crop as when it was
while the least yield was obtained in the control applied two weeks earlier.
plots (Table 2).
Enhanced productivity of other crops such as
Analysis of the various treatments with respect to turmeric due to early application of poultry
fresh pod yield performance indicated higher manure has been reported by Mittra [21]
increase in the fresh pod and seed yield at 10 t elsewhere. Similarly, Uwah and Ogbonna [22]
PM/ha than at 5 t PM/ha compared to the yield working with pig manure, reported increased
obtained in control plots. However, application of fresh pod weight of okra in the research area.
5 t PM/ha two weeks earlier before planting The result obtained in this present work was also
increased okra the fresh pod yield by 0.34 t/ha in agreement with the finding of Ekwu and
(33%) which reduced to 0.31 t/ha (30%), 0.28 Nwokwu [23] in which they reported higher yield
t/ha (27%), and 0.25 t/ha (24%) by delaying response of okra crop in organic manure plots
application to one week before planting, at attributed to better supply of nutrient to the plant.
planting and 2 WAP, respectively. Similarly, by Thus, the application of poultry manure at 10 t/ha
applying 10 t PM/ha at 2 WBP, the yield two weeks prior to planting appeared to have
increment obtained above the control was 0.39 optimized vegetative growth and pod yield of
t/ha (38%) which also reduced to 0.36 t /ha or okra in Calabar humid forest ecology.
35% when application of the nutrient was done
late at 2 WAP. It was also observed that the higher manure rate
had higher effect on the parameters assessed
The dry pod and seed yield trends followed the than the lower rate. The best performance of
same fresh pod yield scenario and were also okra observed in plots amended with the higher
significantly (P = 0.05) highest at 10 t PM/ha manure rate could be attributed to possible
applied 2 WBP which were also similar in the favourable physical conditions and more
same treatment irrespective of the time of nutrients released in such plots This underscores
incorporation into the soil. Compared to the the importance of timely application of adequate
control, seed yield increase in plots that received quantities of organic manures to enhance their
5 t PM/ha was highest (68.5 kg/ha or 38%) at 2 fertilizer efficiency.

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 Ntia et al.; AJSSPN, 1(2): 1-6, 2017; Article no.AJSSPN.35184

Table 1. Growth parameters of okra as influenced by the time and rate of application of poultry
manure at 5 WAP

Treatment Plant Number of Number of Leaf area

height leaves per branches index
per plant plant per plant
No poultry manure(control) 28.20d 11.92b 5.00b 17.00d
poultry manure at 5t/ha applied 2 weeks 36.43b 12.33b 5.33b 24.22c
before planting
Poultry manure at 5t/ha applied 1 week 32.67c 11.98b 5.00b 21.20cd
before planting
Poultry manure at 5t/ha applied at planting 31.90cd 12.33b 5.67b 21.57cd
Poultry manure at 5t/ha applied 2 weeks 31.53cd 10.00b 6.33b 19.12cd
after planting
Poultry manure at 10t/ha applied 2 weeks 39.70a 22.67a 9.67a 44.96a
before planting
Poultry manure at 10/ha applied 1 week 39.60a 22.20a 9.53a 44.92a
before planting
Poultry manure at 10t/ha applied at 39.40a 21.98a 9.38a 44.47a
planting
Poultry manure at 10t/ha applied 2 weeks 38.92ab 21.96a 9.33a 44.44a
after planting
Means within a column followed by the same letter of alphabet are not significantly different from one another
based on Duncan’s New multiple range test (DNMRT) at 5% level of probability

Table 2. Fruit yield and yield parameters of okra as influenced by time and rate of application
of poultry manure

Treatment Fresh pod Dry pod Seed

yield (t/ha) Yield (t/ha) yield (kg/ha)
No poultry manure(control) 1.04d 0.26c 208.8e
Poultry manure at 5t/ha applied 2 weeks before planting. 1.38b 0.40b 277.3c
Poultry manure at 5t/ha applied at planting. 1.32b 0.38b 272.7c
Poultry manure at 5t/ha applied 2 weeks after planting. 1.29c 0.38b 244.3d
Poultry manure at 10t/ha applied 2 weeks before 1.43a 0.55a 308.0a
planting.
Poultry manure at 10t/ha applied at planting. 1.40a 0.54a 290.6b
Poultry manure at 10t/ha applied 2 weeks after planting 1.40a 0.50a 286.8b
Means within a column followed by the same letter are not significantly different from one another based on
Duncan’s New Multiple Range Test (DNMRT) at 5% probability level

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