Abstract
One of the major problems bedeviling crop production in many parts of the tropics is low soil fertility status. Thus, this report evaluates the effects of soil fertility improvement by velvet bean fallow and compost, on the yields of amaranth, as well as the post-harvest soil fertility. Green amaranth (Amaranthus caudatus) was used as the test crop. Six fertilizer treatments namely, Ibadan brewery waste based grade A compost (IBBW1), Ibadan brewery waste based grade B compost (IBBW2), IBBW1 + Velvet residual fertility, IBBW2 + Velvet residual fertility, Velvet residual fertility (Sole) and No fertilizer treatment (as a control) were investigated. The composts were applied at 100 kg N/ha, while treatments having velvet bean fallow had the bean earlier sown on them to rejuvenate the soils. The experiment was laid in a randomized complete block design (RCBD) with four replications. All the data collected were subjected to analysis of variance (ANOVA) and means were separated using Least Significant Difference (LSD) at 0.05 probability level. The result showed that the fertilizer sources had significant effects on the total fresh weight (t/ha) and dry weight (t/ha) at p< 0.05. The IBBW1 + Velvet bean produced the best significant (p<0.05) total fresh weight of amaranths (31.20 t/ha), it left the soil with better pH, total nitrogen and available phosphorus status. Based on the results of this study, IBBW1 compost + Velvet bean fallow proved better fertilizers in the production of Amaranthus caudatus. Thus, these treatments could be useful in organic production system for amaranth.
Keywords:
ibadan brewery waste based compost
velvet-fallow
amaranths
soil fertility
residual fer-
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