Organic Manuring on Fruits and Vegetable Production and Soil Properties in Landmark University, Omu - Aran, South - West Nigeria

Three experiments were established in the field within Landmark University Teaching and Research Farm during 2013 and 2014 cropping seasons (August – November each year). One experiment tested the response of tomatoes to Urea (at 40 kg/ha rate), NPK (40 kg/ha), Cowdung (5t/ha) and Poultry manure + NPK. The second trial tested the effect of varying levels of poultry manure + NPK. The second trial tested the effect of varying levels of poultry manure on Amaranth Vegetable applied at six levels including Control (0, 2, 4, 8, 10 and 15 tones ha-1). While the third trial investigated the effect of green manure incorporation (4 legumes and control) on soil properties and the performance of Amaranthus hybridus. The legumes incorporated were cowpea (Vigna unguiculata), Soybean (Glycine max), Mucuna (Mucuna pruriens) and Groundut (Arachis hypogaea). Although all the green manures incorporated increased agronomic traits and yield of amaranthus, mucuna incorporated plots gave the best yield. This trend was also reflected in the slight increase of soil N, P, K, Ca, Mg and CECof green manured plots compared to the control.Tomato performed best under poultry manure application. The difference in tomato agronomic and yield data due to treatments were significant. The value of significance was in the order of poultry manure >NPK>Cowdung> Mixture of Poultry manure + NPK> Urea > Control. In addition to the higher nitrogen content of poultry manure, it was likely that its mineralization process and therefore the release of nutrients coincided with the feeding rate of tomato. Height and girth (studdiness) of amaranthus were significantly improved with poultry manure application. The poultry manure provides macro and micro-nutrients such as Fe, Mg, Cu, B, and Zn and other growth factors not normally supplied by inorganic fertilizers.