Influence of grasscutter manure, chicken manure and NPK fertilizer on the growth and yield of carrot and chemical properties of soil

• Published in: International journal of innovation and applied studies Vol. 9; no. 1; p. 412
• Main Authors: Atakora, K, Agyarko, K, Asiedu, E K, Dapaah, H K, Annor, S Y
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Rabat International Journal of Innovation and Applied Studies 01.11.2014
• Subjects: Carrots; Chemical properties; Chickens; Chlorophylls; Daucus; Fertilizing; Manure; Roots; Soil (material); Ghana
• ISSN: 2028-9324; 2028-9324

Field experiments were conducted in 2010 cropping season at the Research Centre of the College of Agriculture, Mampong Campus of the University of Education, Winneba (latitude 7 degree and 8 degree North of Equator and Longitude 1 degree and 24 degree West of the Greenwich) in the forest transitional zone of Ghana to evaluate the effect of three levels of grasscutter manure (GM), chicken manure (CM), and NPK on soil chemical properties, growth and yield of carrot. The treatments were, no fertilizer or manure (control), 300kgNPK/ha, 10tCM/ha, 3 levels of grasscutter manure (10t, 15t and 20t/ha), laid out in a randomized complete block design with 3 replications. The 3 levels of grasscutter manure and chicken manure enhanced the soil organic C, total N, available P, exchangeable K, Ca, Mg and CEC better than NPK and the control treatments. Organic matter content and percent base saturation were high in the amended plots than the control. Plant height, number of leaves, leaf chlorophyll content, root length, root diameter and root yield for the 15 and 20t/ha grasscutter manure performed better than the rest of the amendments. The study showed that among the organic manures evaluated, grasscutter manure of 15 and 20t/ha gave the improved levels of the soil chemical properties and yield of carrot.