International Journal of Science and Research (IJSR)

ISSN: 2319-7064
SJIF (2019): 7.583

Effect of Organic Manure on the Growth and Yield

of Okra (Abelmoschus esculentus (L) Moench) in
Unwana
Nwanne, A. J.1, Okonkwo, P. N2, 2Uche-Nwachi, M. N.3
1
Department of Horticulture and Landscape Technology, Akanu Ibiam Federal Polytechnic Unwana-Afikpo
2
Department of Agricultural Technology, Akanu Ibiam Federal Polytechnic Unwana-Afikpo
Corresponding author’s e-mail address: paulumekwe[at][Link]

Abstract: An experiment was conducted at the experimental field of Department of Horticulture and Landscape Technology, Akanu
Ibiam Federal Polytechnic Unwana-Afikpo during 2018 cropping season, to determine the effect of Organic Manure on the Growth
and Yield of Okra (Abelmoschus esculentus (L) Moench) in Unwana. The experiment was laid out in a Randomized Complete Block
Design (RCBD) with three replications. The treatments comprised of control plots, cow dung, goat dung and poultry droppings.
Parameters assessed were: plant height, number of leaves, number of branches, number of fruits, stem diameter, fruit diameter and
fruit yield. The result showed that organic manure significantly influenced plant height, number of branches, number of leaves, and
total fruit yield. Poultry dropping gave higher values in all the parameters except stem diameter and fruit diameter. Number of fruits
and fruit yield was 10 fruits and 32.50t/ha, respectively at first harvest which differed significantly from other treatments used. Number
of fruits recorded at second and third harvests was 7 and 9 fruits, respectively and were statistically the same with other treatments used.
The control plot produced least values in all parameters assessed. Poultry manure produced maximum fruit yield of 32.50t/ha, followed
by goat dung (29.20t/ha).

Keywords: Fruits, Fruit yield, Okra, Organic manure

1. Introduction amendment of degraded soils. Therefore, this study was set

up to determine the effect of organic manure on the growth
Okra (Abelmoschus esculentus (L) Moench) is a popular and yield of Okra (Abelmoschus esculentus (L) Moench) in
vegetable in tropical and subtropical countries of the world Unwana.
(Avapitsus, 2008). It is an important vegetable crop
occupying a land area of 277,000 hectares with a population 2. Materials and Methods
of 2.63t/ha in Nigeria (FAO, 2005). They are valued for
many of its properties. Edible okra pods contain 88% water, The experiment was conducted during 2018 cropping season
2.1% protein, fat 0.2%, carbohydrate 8.0%, fibre 1.7% and at the Teaching, Demonstration and Research (TDR) farm of
ash 0.2% (Oyelade et al., 2003). Akinfasoye and Nwanguma the Department of Horticulture and Landscape Technology,
(2005) noted that oil content in okra seed could be as high as Akanu Ibiam Federal Polytechnic Unwana-Afikpo, Ebonyi
that of poultry egg and soybean. State. Unwana is located in latitude 060 5’N and longitude
080 03’E with an elevation of 300m above sea level
The quality of okra in terms of nutrient availability increase (NIMET, 2003).Three sources of organic manure (poultry,
mostly when cultivated in good fertile soils rich in N, P, and goat and cow) and a local variety of okra pods purchased
K (Awodun, 2007). In Nigeria especially in South eastern from the “Unwana” market were used for the study.
part, there are widespread problem of soil degradation due to Experimental plot measuring 14m × 10m was cleared using
continuous cultivation on the soils which is as a result of conventional tools such as cutlass and hoe. Soil samples
pressure from the increasing population of the area where were randomly collected from the site at 0 to 20cm depth,
the available land remains static. The use of organic manure bulked and analyzed for physico-chemical properties.
as fertilizer have formed a major area of research in recent
times. Adeniyan and Ojeniyi (2003) reported the importance The experimental field was laid out in a Randomized
of organic manure for soil fertility which influences so many Complete Block Design (RCBD) with three replications.
soil properties. Application of organic manure at lower Organic manure was incorporated into the soil at 10kg each
quantity lead to nutrient deficiency and low yield (Allah on beds allotted to them two weeks prior to planting. Two
Bakhsh et al., 2013). Senjobi et al. (2010) reported that the okra seeds were planted per hole at the depth of 2cm and
use of organic manure improves all growth parameters of spacing of 60cm × 45cm. Weeding was done at three (3)
leafy vegetables. Animal manure provides a source of all weeks after planting and subsequently as the need arose. The
necessary macro and micro nutrient in available forms, experiment was observed and the following parameters were
thereby improving the physical and biological properties of recorded: plant height, number of leaves and branches per
the soil (Abou El-magd et al., 2006). Madukwe et al. (2008) plant and stem diameter at two weeks interval starting from
reported that organic manure especially poultry manure the 5WAP, number of fruits, fruit diameter and fruit yield at
resulted in increase number of nodules and higher yield in harvesting. Data collected from the study was subjected to;
cowpea, and that poultry manure was efficient in the analysis of variance (ANOVA) and treatment means were
Volume 9 Issue 11, November 2020
[Link]
Licensed Under Creative Commons Attribution CC BY
Paper ID: SR201113143559 DOI: 10.21275/SR201113143559 1057
 International Journal of Science and Research (IJSR)
ISSN: 2319-7064
SJIF (2019): 7.583
separated using least significant difference (LSD) as Table 2: Effect of Organic Manure on the Growth of Okra
described by Obi (2001) (Abelmoschus esculentus L.)
Number of Leaves
3. Results Organic manure 5WAP 7WAP 9WAP 11WAP
Control 3.81a 5.33b 9.20c 13.90c
Soil Physico-Chemical Properties Poultry dung 4.80a 8.18a 19.25a 22.33a
Table 1 shows the physico-chemical properties of the Cow dung 4.30a 7.25a 13.40b 16.80b
Goat dung 4.77a 7.45a 18.40a 20.18a
experimental soil. The soil is sandy loam soil with 89.50%
F-LSD0.05 N.S 2.14 2.98 3.13
sand, 7.00% silt and 3.48% clay. The organic carbon content
Plant Height (cm)
is 1.26% with 2.50% organic matter. The nitrogen, Control 9.51c 15.34c 22.71d 39.40c
phosphorus, potassium and other cations are very low in the Poultry dung 20.30a 3142a 45.12a 64.30a
soil used for this study and pH (water) was highly acidic. Cow dung 12.75b 20.45b 35.46b 55.33b
Goat dung 19.54a 29.73a 31.09c 62.30a
Table 1: Soil Physic-Chemical Properties of the F-LSD0.05 2.31 3.31 2.97 4.94
Experimental Site Number of Branches
Soil Parameters Values Control 1.12a 1.03b 1.98b 2.89b
pH (H2O) 5.00 Poultry dung 2.17a 2.33a 4.41a 4.80a
Mg (Cmol/kg) 0.52 Cow dung 1.35b 1.78a 2.77a 4.25a
Na (Cmol/kg) 0.02 Goat dung 1.99a 2.13a 3.78a 3.71a
Ca (Cmol/kg) 2.20 F-LSD0.05 0.37 1.18 2.18 1.24
K (Cmol/kg) 0.01 Stem Diameter (cm)
P (Cmol/kg) 3.62 Control 1.443a 1.500a 1.510a 1.514a
% organic C 1.26 Poultry dung 1.500a 1.525a 1.520a 1.610a
% organic N 0.02 Cow dung 1.210a 1.500a 1.510a 1.835a
Sand 89.50 Goat dung 1.230a 1.510a 1.520a 1.800a
Silt 7.00 F-LSD0.05 N.S N.S N.S N.S
Clay 3.48
Means in the same column having the same letter(s) are not
The results in Table 2 showed that organic manure had significantly different at P=0.05 according to LSD.
significant effects at P=0.05 on the plant height, number of N.S=Non significant
leaves and branches of Okra produced. Poultry droppings
produced tallest plants 20.30cm, 31.42cm, 45.12cm and Table 3: Effects of Organic Manure on the Yield of Okra
64.30cm at 5, 7, 9 and 11 WAP which differed significantly (Abelmoschus esculentus L.)
from the control plots that recorded the least values, Number of Fruits Fruit Diameter (cm) Fruit
respectively. An application of organic manure (poultry Harvesting Measurement Interval Yield
droppings) produced highest number of leaves of 1 2 3 1 2 3 (t/ha)
approximately 5, 8, 19 and 22 at 5, 7, 9 and 11 leaves WAP, Control 6.00b 6.00a 6.00a 2.33a 2.00c 2.00a 21.80d
respectively. At 5th WAP, number of leaves produced were Poultry dung 10.00a 7.00a 9.00a 2.50a 2.67b 2.25a 32.50a
statistically similar. The most profuse branches were Cow dung 8.66a 6.00a 7.33a 2.33a 2.67b 3.33a 26.70c
recorded at plots with poultry dropping 2.17, 2.33, 4.41 and Goat dung 8.33a 6.00a 8.66a 2.67a 3.67a 2.00a 29.20b
4.80 across the weeks counted as presented in Table 2. F-LSD0.05 1.842 N.S N.S N.S 0.999 N.S 2.31
Application of organic manure had no significant effect on
the stem diameter of okra measured. Means in the same column having the same
letter(s) are not significantly different at P=0.05
Poultry droppings produced higher number of fruits 10, 7,
and 9 as presented in Table 3 while the control plots
according to LSD. N.S=Non-significant
recorded the least. Number of fruits produced at 1st, 2nd and
3rd harvest for poultry dropping treated plots was statistically 4. Discussion
similar apart from 1st harvest where number of fruits (10)
differed significantly from control plots (6). Organic manure Effect of Organic Manure of the Vegetative growth of
significantly affected fruit diameter of Okra at 2nd harvest. Okra (Abelmoschus esculentus (L) Moench)
Widest fruits of 3.67cm were recorded at goat dung at 2nd The tallest plants, highest number of leaves and branches
harvest which differed significantly from others while was produced by poultry manure. The control plots recorded
control gave the least fruit diameter in all harvesting period. the least values in all vegetative parameters assessed and this
is because of low nutrient content of the soil. This is in
The result in Table 3 revealed that application of organic agreement with the work done by Senjobi et al. (2010) who
manure had significant (P=0.05) differences on fruit yield. reported that the use of organic manure (poultry, cow, goat,
Application of poultry manure gave the highest fruit yield of pig) improved all the growth parameters of leaf vegetables.
32.50t/ha which differed significantly from other organic They also help in better nutrient recycling (Elshakweer et
manure used. Control plot recorded the least fruit yield of al., 1998).
21.80t/ha

Volume 9 Issue 11, November 2020

[Link]
Licensed Under Creative Commons Attribution CC BY
Paper ID: SR201113143559 DOI: 10.21275/SR201113143559 1058
 International Journal of Science and Research (IJSR)
ISSN: 2319-7064
SJIF (2019): 7.583
Effect of Organic Manure of the Yield of Okra [11] Madukwe, D. K., Christo, I. E. C & Onuh, M. O.
(Abelmoschus esculentus (L) Moench) (2008). Effect of organic manure and cowpea (Vigna
The highest number of fruits and fruit yield were recorded in unguiculata L.) varieties on the chemical properties of
poultry manure treated plots and the least was observed at soil and root nodulation. Science World Journal 3(1):
control plots. This agrees with Sanwal et al. (2007) who 43-46.
reported that organic manure produced higher pods and [12] Oyelade,O. Z., Ade-Omowaye, I. O. & Adeomi, V. F.
improve productivity. Animal manure nutrients are released (2003). Influence of variety on protein, fat contents
more slowly and are stored for a longer time in the soil, and some physical characteristics of Okra seeds. J.
improved root development and high crop yield (Sharma Food Eng. 57:111-114
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5. Conclusion organic manures on soil fertility, growth, physiology,
yield and quality of turmeric. Indian Journal of
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of fruits per hectare followed by goat dung. Cochorus olitorius as influenced by soil type and
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Volume 9 Issue 11, November 2020
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Licensed Under Creative Commons Attribution CC BY
Paper ID: SR201113143559 DOI: 10.21275/SR201113143559 1059