Full Length Research Paper
Abstract
The production of Indigenous leafy vegetables such as Amaranthus could address malnutrition and food insecurity experienced globally by providing the necessary nutrients needed in a balanced diet. However, escalating prices of chemical fertilizers make them unaffordable to small-holder farmers and this aggravates more threat to food security. This is because an adequate nutrient supply through fertilization is essential to achieve better growth of these vegetables. Based on this, a study aiming to evaluate the effects of organic and inorganic fertilizers on the growth and yield of two Amaranthus accessions (Amaranthus hypochondriacus L. and Amaranthus retroflexus) was established. The study consists of eight treatments, A. hypochondriacus L. + control (T1), cattle manure (T2), goat manure (T3), NPK (T4), and A. retroflexus + control (T5), cattle manure (T6), goat manure (T7), and NPK (T8). The experiment was laid out in a Completely Randomized Design (CRD) with four replications. Goat manure application increased the growth, fresh and dry shoot biomass yield of both A. retroflexus L. and A. hypochondriacus L. Goat manure application resulted in considerable results in growth and yield parameters and thus serves as a good alternative to small-scale farmers who may not be able to purchase inorganic fertilizer.
Key words: Amaranthus accessions, biomass yield, fertilization, goat manure, growth.
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