Comparative Effect of Spent Mushroom Compost and NPK Fertilizer on the Growth of Sorghum bicolor L. Moench and Zea mays L. Using Fodder Hydroponics Techniques

Abstract

The grains of maize and sorghum were converted to grass in the screenhouse for eight days. The treatments evaluated were control (water), spent mushroom compost (SMC), NPK fertilizer, and SN (combination of SMC and NPK). Each treatment was replicated thrice in a complete randomized block design. Growth parameters and nutrient analysis were determined. The effect of organic and inorganic fertilizer was tested on proximate, minerals and digestibility of hydroponics maize fodder (HMF) and hydroponics sorghum fodder (HSF). The study showed significant difference (P < 0.05) in all the compositions and parameters except pH values. SN application gave the highest proximate compositions (%) of maize-crude-protein (23.66±0.05), maize-moisture (14.62±0.01), maize-CHO (57.86±0.03), maize-NFE (43.96±0.02), maize-fibre (2.44±0.03), sorghum-ash (1.28±0.02), and sorghum moisture (12.56±0.01). NPK gave the highest result of sorghum-crude-protein (18.51±0.04); while SMC gave the highest results of maize maize-crude-fibre (27.71±0.02), maize-fibre (2.22±0.01), maize-ash (3.21±0.01), sorghum-CHO (61.00±0.03) and sorghum-NFE (54.87±0.02). SN gave the highest mineral compositions (mg/100g) of maize-P (155.20±0.02), maize-Ca (34.95±0.08); sorghum-Fe (11.35±0.13), sorghum-P (153.20±0.87), sorghum-Ca (30.00±0.30). NPK gave the best results of maize-Fe (8.00±0.26), maize-Mn (1.55±0.08), and sorghum-Mn (3.40±0.15). There was significant difference in plant heights, fresh weight, dry weight, digestibility, dry matter. The comparative effects of SMC and NPK showed that utilization of SMC, NPK and SN could serves as nutrient supplements for fodder hydroponics used as feed supplements for dairy animals.