Productivity of okra [Abelmoschus esculentus] in response to rate and method of cattle manure application in the northern guinea savanna of Nigeria.

Abstract

Two field trials were conducted at the experimental farm of the Institute for Agricultural Research farm [IAR], Samaru in the 2009 and 2010 rainy season to study the effect of four rates of cattle manure [0.5, 10 and 15 t h-1] and two methods of application [brocasting and stand to stand placement] on growth, yeld and yeld component of okra. The experiment was laid out in a coplete randomized block desihn and replicate four times. Application of the cattle manure significantly increase both green pod yeld weight of seeds per pod, height to first pod, avarage pod lenght and days to 50%f flowering up to the 10 t ha – 1 rate which increase pod yeld 29.8%  the average weight per green pod showed significantly greaterr effect in terms of yeld for manured plots than the untreated control in both trails . number of seeds per pod, number of pod per plant, average pod diameter and 100-seeds weight were unaffected by rates or methods of cattles manure application. However, the best manure rate was influenced by adequate and wee distributed rainfall in both years and manure quality by the application of 10t ha-1 rate as early as possible in the season through there were no significant differences amongst the different methods of manure application. This indicates that either of the two methods of manure applicaton could be adopted as treatment for okra production at samaru in the quinea savanna agr-ecological zone of Nigeria.