Effect of Moringa oleifera Leaf Extract and NPK (20:10:10) Fertilizer on the Yield of Sweet Potato, Soil Properties and Incidence of Cylas formucarius (Weevil) in Abuja, Nigeria
Keywords:
Moringa oleifera, NPK (20:10:10), Fertilizer, Sweet Potato, Soil Properties and Cylas formucariusAbstract
The study was conducted to determine the effect of Moringa oleifera and NPK (20:10:10)
fertilizer on the yield of two varieties of sweet potato (IMOSO and kwara), soil properties and
incidence of Cylas weevil in the production of sweet potato on the crop. Factorial treatment
arrangement fitted into Randomized Complete Block Design with 3 replications was used. Results showed that the contents of some basic elements (N, P, K, Mg and Ca) were significantly enhanced especially in the plots that received Moringa leaf extract. Soil pH of the plots that received Moringa oleifera increased from 5.5 to 6.6 while those given NPK fertilizer decreased from 5.3 to 5.0 and control plots decreased from 5.4 to 5.0. Stand count of the stands per plot before harvest showed that stands amended with various treatments were higher than that of the control plots by 20% and 18% for Moringa extract and NPK respectively. Stands of variety, Kwara, that were amended with NPK and Moringa extract produced 51% more yield than the control in 2017 and 2018, while those of variety, IMOSO, produced 63% in 2017and 56% in 2018 over the control. While stands of sweet potato treated with Moringa extract produced significantly, (p<0.05) highest number of marketable roots, those that received NPK fertilizer produced highest roots followed by those on control plots In terms of severity of infection by Cylas weevils on the storage roots. Stands treated with Moringa extract showed very mild symptoms but roots from NPK fertilizer amended plots and the control plots showed severe symptoms of infection.
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