ISSN 2348-313X (Print) International Journal of Life Sciences Research ISSN 2348-3148 (online) Vol. 9, Issue 3, pp: (27-32), Month: July - September 2021, Available at: www.researchpublish.com
Growth Response of Glossy Nightshade (Solanum americanum) Treated with Different Quantity of Compost Manure and Urea in Bali Local Government of Taraba State 1 1,2
Philemon J. Tukura, 2Rotimi Emmanuel
Department of Agricultural Technology, Federal Polytechnic Bali, Taraba State. Email address: philemonjaphthah@gmail.com
Abstract: Solanum americanum a flowering plant commonly known as American black nightshade or glossy nightshade is herbaceous in nature and performs well on most soil types in some region of Africa and Asia. Native farmers in Nigeria do not have adequate knowledge about the required soil fertility for efficient respond to growth. A field experiment was conducted to determine the effect of different levels of urea (0, 50, 100, and 150 Kg/ha) and compost (0, 5, 10 and 15 t/ha) on the growth of solanum americanum. The experiment was carried out during midNovember, 2020 to late May 2021 at Federal Polytechnic Bali, Taraba state, Nigeria research farm. Treatments plots were laid out in a completely randomized block design and replicated four times. Data was collected at interval of two weeks for number of leaves, plant height, number of branches and stem girth. Data obtained were subjected to analysis of variance (ANOVA). Significant treatment means were separated using Tukey test at P<0.05. The results showed that the applications of urea and compost significantly (p<0.05) influenced all growth parameters of Solanum americanum. The highest rates of compost (150 t/ha) and urea (15 Kg/ha) significantly increased the growth parameters when compared to the control and have the highest mean values for all the parameters measured. The use of urea and compost is therefore essential in increasing the plant growth. Therefore compost and urea is recommended for optimal growth performance. Keywords: compost, urea, plant growth.
I. INTRODUCTION The vegetable African Nightshade (vernacular name; kumbi) is a specie of Solanum genus, it’s consumed as vegetable both leaf stem and has herbs [1] [2]. They are grown in both lowland and high areas in West and East Africa, particularly in Cameroon and Nigeria [3]. It’s also called Black nightshade is a common herb or perennial shrub, found in many wooded areas as well as good habitats. It has a height of 35-115cm, leaves 4-7.5cm long and 2-5cm wide; ovate to heartshaped with wavy or large toothed edges, both surfaces hairless, petiole 1-3cm long. The flowers have petals greenish to whitish, recurred when aged and surround prominent bright red/yellow anthers. The berry is mostly 6.5-8.5mm diameter, dull black or purple black. In India, another strain is found with berries that turn red when ripe [1, 2, 3]. Glossy nightshade (Solanum americanum) localy called Kumbi (Hausa), Azibashwi (Mambila) and Morelle noire (French) is a vegetable and herbaceous Flowering plant [4], [5]. Solanum americanum is reported as a cultivated leafy vegetable from Ethopia, the avarage land of Sierra Leone, Uganda, Tanzania, Kenya. The leaves were eaten as a vegetable with a popular wild pot herb in Mambila Plateau in Nigeria, Cote d‟ ivore and Cameroon, eastern and Mozambique [1],[3] young green vegetable shoots are cooked and eaten, after boiling in water in Africa, South America and New Guinea [5].
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