Effect of Organic, Organomineral and NPK Fertilizer on Nutritional Quality of Amaranthus in Lagos, Nigeria.

Abstract

In Nigeria organic fertilizers are being developed from organic and farm wastes and these can be fortified with inorganic fertilizer. Therefore eight fertilizer treatments namely:(1) control (no fertilizer), (2) Pacesetter Grade B organic fertilizer (PGB) at 3 t/ha 100 %, (3) 300 kg/ha NPK fertilizer, (4) PGB + NPK fertilizer (75 : 25), (5) PGB + NPK (50: 50), (6)’ Kola pod husk (KPH) at 3t /ha 1 00%, (7) KPH +NPK (75: 25) and (8) KPH + NPK (50:50) were applied to amaranthus (Amaranthus cruentus). Residual effect on second and third crops was also studied. Proximate analysis was done to’determine crude protein (CP), crude fibre (CF), ash and ether extract (EE). The PGB and KPH alone or combined with reduced level. of NPK generally increased CP , ash and EE significantly on immediate and residual basis, the organic fertilizers had more residual effect than NPK . Organic materials alone or combined with NPK reduced CF especially on residual basis. Compared with organic materials, NPK gave least values of CP, ash, CF and EE. Application of KPH + NPK (50:50) , KPH and PGB gave highest values of CP and ash respectively. Integrated application of organic fertilizers and NPK gave highest values of EE in order: PGB + NPK (50:50), KPH (50:50), and PGB + NPK (75:25). Organic fertilizers and OMF maintain adequate CP and EE in first and second crops whereas NPK did not maintain adequate CP in second crop.