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EVALUATION OF THE EFFECT OF COMBINED INORGANIC FERTILIZER AND VERMES-FLUID ON CASSAVA ROOT YIELD
Abstract
A two-year field trial was conducted at the research farm of National Root Crops Research Institute (NRCRI),
Umudike in 2016 and 2017 planting seasons to study the effect of combined inorganic fertilizer and vermes-fluid
on cassava root yield. Sixteen treatment combinations laid out as a single factorial experiment in a randomised
complete block design (RCBD) with three replications were formed, and TME 419 cassava variety used for the
study. The results of the average fresh root yield obtained from the study over the two year period showed that
application of the recommended rate of 3-4% of vermes-fluid alone on cassava did not improve yield, rather had a
non-significant effect on yield of the control plot and significant effect on the recommended full dose of NPK
fertilizer (600kg). A complementary combined application of 75% full dose of NPK fertilizer with 100% of the
recommended maximum vermes-fluid concentration (i.e.4%) resulted to an exceptional much higher yield of
57.8t/ha which significantly out-yielded that of the control plot and recommended full dose of NPK fertilizer by
55.2% and 18.70% respectively. This management strategy enhanced reduced application by 25% of NPK
fertilizer for cassava production and also with respect to its cost and environmental concern, and is therefore
recommended for farmers to adopt for sustainable production.
