The Effect Of Irrigation Scheduling And Mucuna Pod Granule On Yield Of Orange Fleshed Sweet Potato (Ipomoea Batata).
- May 14, 2021
- Posted by: rsispostadmin
- Categories: Agriculture, IJRSI
International Journal of Research and Scientific Innovation (IJRSI) | Volume VIII, Issue III, March 2021 | ISSN 2321–2705
Tolubanwo, S.E.1; Okereke, N.A.A.2; Oti, N.N.3, Nwandikom, G.I.4 and Madubuike, C.N.5
1 National Root Crops Research, Institute Umudike (NRCRI).
2,3,4,5 Federal University of Technology Owerri (FUTO).
Abstract
The experiment was carried out during the 2017 and 2018 dry season to evaluate irrigation scheduling and mucuna pod granule fertilizer on the yield of orange-fleshed sweet potato (OFSP). The treatments are made up of four fertilizer rates (0, 200, 400 and 600kg/ha), one irrigation method (Furrow), three irrigation scheduling (once every two days (E2D), once every three days (E3D) and once every four days (E4D) and one OFSP variety (mother delight). The experiment’s design was arranged in a Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD) replicated three times. The size of the plot was 4m x 5.1m, and there are 36 plots with a one-meter alley within plots and two meters between reps. The average irrigation duration per plot was nine minutes. The mucuna pod was harvested, dried, ground and its chemical composition was determined. The actual volume of the mucuna pod required for the experiment was calculated, and the same applied to the plots. After harvest, the treatments of 600kg/ha rate (600M) and E3D for 2017 gave the highest average weight of Vine (12.46t ha-1 and 11.16t ha-1), total weight of roots (9.11t ha-1 and 9.44t ha-1) and marketable roots (8.89t ha-1 and 7.22t h-1). While in 2018, the treatments of 600kg/ha rate (600M) and E3D for 2018 gave the highest average weight of Vine (31.77t ha-1 and 27.03t ha-1), total weight of roots (20.78t ha-1 and 16.28t ha-1) and marketable roots (19.47t ha-1 and 15.23t ha-1). The 600M/E3D also gave the highest weight of Vine + leave, weight of root, root girth and root length per stand. The profits of the produce sold for both years from NPK and Mucuna wereN 238,139.5 and N 426,078.4 respectively. We can conclude from this study, that 600M/E3D gave the highest yield when compared to other treatments in the tables and should be recommended.
Keywords: Irrigation scheduling, Fertilizer rate, mucuna pod fertilizer, orange-fleshed sweet potato, yield components.
1. INTRODUCTION
Sweet potato [Ipomoea batatas (L.) Lam] is one of the most important crop found in sub-Saharan African (S.S.A.). This crop belongs to the Convolvulaceae family, as stated in Sheth et al. 2017 report. OFSP contains Carotenoid, which is a source of vitamin A used by most developing Countries to control vitamin A deficiency globally (Harvest Plus, 2009). It is grown for its large starchy, sweet-tasting tuberous roots (Nwankwo et al., 2014). The young leaves and shoots are also used as food condiments and for the preparation of local soups, plantain, rice, cocoyam, porridge yam, and beans (Bassey, 2017). The fresh root of sweet potato is rich in carbohydrates and contains appreciable amounts of βcarotene, ascorbic acid, and the amino acid, lysine, that is deficient
