Yield and nutrient uptake of white yam as affected by organo-mineral fertilizer in Ikenne, Southwestern Nigeria

Abstract

Information is scanty on the optimum level of fertilizer requirement for the production in yam production in relation to yield and nutrient uptake. This study was conducted to evaluate the effects of different levels of organic and mineral fertilizers, singly and in combination, on yield and nutrient uptake of white yam in 2004 and 2005 at Ikenne, Southwestern Nigeria. Four cultivars of white yam(Adaka,Amula,Danacha and Omiefun)were subjected to 10 fertilizer treatments comprising, sole organic fertilizer(OF),mineral (NPK 12-12-12) ferrtilizers combination of the two(organo-mineral) and contrrol,at the rate of 2.5 and 5.0t/ha OF: 0.15,0.3 and 0.45t/ha NPK;1.75t/ha OF+0.15t/ha NPK; 2.5t/ha OF +0.15t/ha NPK;2.5t/ha OF+0.3t/ha NPK and 5.0t/ha OF+0.3t/ha NPK.The trials were conducted at Ikenne, Southwestern Nigeria. The experiment was a split-plot fitted into randomized complete block design with four replicates. White yam cultivars and fertilizer rates were main and sub-plot treatments respectively. Tuber yield and nutrient uptake were assessed. Data obtained over two years were pulled together and analyzed using analyses of variance and in the differences treatment means were separated usingDuncan’s multiple range test at 5%

probability level. Four fertilizer treatments (5.0t/ha OF,0.45t/ha NPK,2.5t/ha OF+0.3t/ha NPK,5.0t/ha OF+0.3t/ha NPK)significantly (p<0.05) improved the growth and yield of white yam compared to the control. Fertilizer treatment at 5.0 t/ha OF + 0.15  t/ha NPK produced the highest tuber yield of 22.0 t/ha in 2004 and 17.9 t/ha in 2005. They were significantly(P<0.05) higher than the control plots in two years.similarly,the same  Fertilizer treatment had the highest N,P,K uptake of 48.4,15.9 and 64.7g/plant respectively in 2004.There were N,P and K uptake of 42.9,15.8 and 62.6g/plant respectively in 2005 and were significantly (P<0.05)higher than the  control.fertilizer treatment at 5.0 t/ha OF+0.3 t/ha NPK was the best with reference to tuber yield and nutrient uptake. Amula had the highest tuber yield of 21.5 and 10.7 t/ha in 2004 and 2005 respectively.