Abstract
Increasing prices of fertilizer have made farmers turn to other sources of plant nutrients for crop
cultivation. Farmers are now increasing the use of animal manure to improve soil fertility. It is
not clear what ef ects these manures might have on the yield performance of sweet potato
(Ipomoea batatas). This study was conducted during the late raining season of the year 2016 at
Kogi State University Research/Student Demonstration Farm, in the Southern Guinea savannah
agro-ecological zone of Nigeria. The objective of this field experiment was to determine the
ef ects of dif erent levels organic manure (poultry manure (PM)) on the physical and chemical
properties of soil and yield of sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas). Five treatments were assessed in
a randomized complete block design, and replicated four times. The treatments include: T0 (0t/ha
PM), T1 (1 t/ha PM), T2 (2 t/ha PM), T3 (3 t/ha PM), T4 (4 t/ha PM) and T5 (5 t/ha PM). The soil
properties considered were; soil pH, organic carbon, ef ective cation exchange capacity, total
nitrogen and available phosphorus. Number of vines, length of vine and leaves per plant were
among the growth parameter evaluated for the growth performance of the test crop. Tuber
weight yield was the yield parameter considered for evaluating the sweet potato yield
performance. Result obtained indicated that the lowest total tuber yield (8.19 t/ha) was obtained
in plants fertilized with 0 t/ha of poultry manure. While the highest total tuber yield (11.7 t/ha)
was produced by plants treated with 4 t/ha poultry manure. A decline in total tuber yield (10.22
t/ha) was observed in plants fertilized with 5 t/ha of poultry manure, indicating that increase in
poultry manure could be associated with reduced total tuber yields. The result therefore
emphasized that 4 t/ha of poultry manure is the best for better sweet potato yield.
CONTENT
Title page
Declaration
Certification
Dedication
Acknowledgement
Abstract
CHAPTER ONE
1.0 Introduction
1.1 Justification of the study
1.2 Objectives of the study
CHAPTER TWO
2.0 Literature review
2.1 History of sweet potato
2.2 Economic importance of sweet potato
2.3 production trend
2.4 Effect of organic manure on the growth yield of sweet potato
2.5 Cultural practices
2.5.1 Climatic and Soil requirement
2.5.2 Varieties
2.5.3 Land preparation
2.5.4 Propagation
2.5.5 Planting Method
2.5.6 Weeding
2.6 Maturity
2.6.1 Root Yield
2.6.2 Storage
2.6.3 Pests and Diseases
2.6.4 Pests and Diseases control
CHAPTER THREE
3.0 Materials and Method
3.1 Experimental site description
3.1.1 Vegetation
3.1.2 Geology
3.1.3 Climate
3.2 Collection of Soil sample
3.3 Soil analysis
3.4 Physical and Chemical composition
3.4.1 Soil pH determination
3.4.2 Particle size determination
3.4.3 Organic matter content
3.4.5 Available phosphorus
3.4.6 Cation Exchange Capacity
3.4.7 Total Nitrogen
3.5 Experimental design
3.6 Transplanting
3.7 Plant parameters collected for analysis
CHAPTER FOUR
4.0 Results and Discussion
4.1 Physical and Chemical properties of the Soil
