Seed weight and organic manure sources: Determinants of quality marketable yields of Fluted Pumpkin (Telfairia occidentalis Hook F) (Ugu)

Abstract

A field experiment was conducted at the teaching and research farm Federal University of Technology Owerri in 2009 and repeated in 2010 cropping seasons to assess the effect of three seed weights small (4.0-9.99), medium (10.0-15.99); large 16.0-22g/seed) and organic manure sources (poultry manure, pig slurry, cow dung and the unmanured) on the marketable yield and yield components of Telfaifia occidentalis (Hook F). The experiment was a 3 x 4 factorial fitted in a randomized complete block design and replicated four times. Results indicated that the seed weight and manures had no effect on telfairia seed emergence. However, large, medium and small seeds manured with poultry manure, pig slurry, cow dung and control in that order produced significantly (p<0.05) good vegetative growth and high quality marketable vegetable yield and regenerative seeds.