COMPARATIVE STUDY OF MINERAL FERTILIZER AND CASSAVA PEEL COMPOST ON SEED YIELD AND QUALITY ATTRIBUTES AND NUTRIENT USE EFFICIENCY OF SOYBEAN

Abstract

Nigeria generated approximately 3.75 million tonnes of cassava peel annually as waste. This constitutes major source of pollution to the environment. The major concern is how to convert this waste to useful product to support crop production. A field experiment was carried out to determine effect of cassava peel compost (CPC) and mineral fertilizer on yield attributes, grain yield, seed quality and nutrient use efficiency of soybean. The experimental design was a randomized complete block design with three replicates and each replicate contained all the six freatments. The six freatments consist of control, mineral fertilizer (15-15-15), cassava peel compost and their combination. Data collected on soybean yield attributes, seed quality and nutrient use efficiency were subjected to analysis of variance and significant means compared using Duncan Multiple Range Test (DMRT) at 5% probability level.

The highest yield attributes were recorded with combined application of mineral fertilizer and cassava peel compost. 100 kg NPK ha-I + 2.5 t ha-I CPC had highest total pods per plant and the highest percent pod setting was record with 150 kg NPK ha-1+1.25 t ha-I CPC. All freatment had significant effect on mineral components of soybean seed well as proximate composition. Sole application of mineral fertilizer gave highest nufrient use efficiency. Generally, combined application ofmineral fertilizer and cassava peel compost 100 kg and 2.5 t ha-I outperformed other treaünents expect with nutrient use efficiency.