Utilisation of Crushed Crop Residues for Ginger (Zingiber officinale Rosc.) Yield: A Study in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria

Abstract

Ginger is an important economic crop that produces horizontally growing branched rhizomes on prepared beds; the rhizomes may be yellow or white, depending on the variety. This study evaluated the growth and yield response of ginger (Zingiber officinale Rosc.) to different crushed crop residues in Uyo, Akwa Ibom State, Nigeria. A field experiment was conducted at the University of Uyo Teaching and Research Farm in 2024. The experiment was laid out in a randomised complete block design. The treatments comprised five crushed crop residues (cassava peels, plantain peels, yam peels, pumpkin vines and banana peels) and a control. Data were subjected to analysis of variance, and significant means were compared using least significant differences (P < 0.05). The results indicated significant differences (P < 0.05) among the crushed crop residue treatments for growth parameters (number of leaves, plant height, stem girth and leaf area) and yield parameters (number of tillers, number of rhizomes and rhizome yield). Plantain peel treatment produced higher values for number of leaves (3.48, 10.70, 16.18 and 20.75), plant height (18.19, 24.34, 33.66 and 36.22 cm), stem girth (1.92, 2.19, 2.48 and 2.51 cm) and leaf area (23.79, 40.14, 40.75 and 42.57 cm²) at 3, 6, 9 and 12 WAP, respectively. Plantain peels produced the highest rhizome yield (16.33 t/ha), followed by banana peels (15.71 t/ha), while the control produced the lowest rhizome yield (3.88 t/ha). The study recommends crushed crop residues, particularly plantain peels, as organic manure for improving ginger rhizome yield in the study area.