Influence of Grasscutter, Chicken Manure and NPK Fertilizer on the Physical Properties of a Chromic Luvisol, Growth and Yield of Carrot (Daucus carota)

Abstract

A field experiment was conducted to evaluate the effect of grasscutter manure (GM), chicken manure (CM), and NPK on soil physical properties, growth and yield of carrot. The treatments were; no fertilizer or manure (control), 300kgNPK/ha (15:15:15), 10tCM/ha, 3 levels of grasscutter manure (10t, 15t and 20t/ha), laid out in a randomized complete block design with 3 replications. Soil bulk density was highest in the control plot while the sole manure treatments had low soil bulk densities, with the 20t/haGM3 having the lowest value. The 20t/haGM3 treatment also recorded the highest values for the gravimetric moisture content and the total soil porosity. Plant height, number of leaves, root length, root diameter and root yield in the amended treatments were better than the control. Values for the growth and yield parameters of the carrot plant from the 20t/haGM3 treatment were in most cases significantly (P=.05) higher than the rest of the treatments, and the 10tGM/ha treatment had better impact on the parameters than the 10tCM/ha treatment. The highest economic benefit was realized for the 20t/haGM3 treatment.