Comparative study on the proximate composition of two cocoyam species as influenced by integrated nutrient management in Umudike, Southeastern Nigeria.

Abstract

Field experiments were carried out in 2015, 2016 and 2017 cropping seasons at the Research Farm, Forestry Research Institute of Nigeria, Eastern Station, Okwuta in Umuahia South Local Government Area, Abia State to determine the effects of integrated nutrient management on proximate composition of tannia (Xanthosoma sagittifolium) and taro (Colocasia esculenta) in Umudike, southeastern Nigeria. Integrated nutrient management comprising 600 kg NPK 20:10:10 fertilizer and 10 t poultry manure per hectare was applied in 2015 and 2017. The residual effects of the treatments applied in 2015 on growth attributes was observed in 2016. At the end of 2017 harvest, one cocoyam plant out of four sampled plants from each of the three blocks/replications was uprooted from fertilized (plot treated with 600 kg NPK + 10 t PM/ha) and unfertilized plots (control plot) and partitioned into leaf, stem and corm fractions. The plant fractions were taken to laboratory for nutrient analysis. The experiment was laid out in 2 x 3 factorial fitted into randomized complete block design where factor A consisted of treated and control plots (2 levels) while factor B comprised plant fractions with 3 levels (corm, petiole and leaf). The results showed that integrated nutrient management significantly affected crude protein concentration, moisture and ash contents of tannia but statistically the same for taro. It also differed significantly on fibre content of both cocoyam species. Integrated nutrient management x plant fraction interaction effects significantly influenced proximate composition of tannia and taro species.