Compost boosts plantain yield

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Date Issued
1991
Language
en
Type
News Item
Accessibility
Open Access
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Citation
CTA. 1991. Compost boosts plantain yield. Spore 34. CTA, Wageningen, The Netherlands.
Permanent link to cite or share this item: https://hdl.handle.net/10568/45571
External link to download this item: http://collections.infocollections.org/ukedu/en/d/Jcta34e/
Abstract/Description
Manuring plantains with a compost of poultry manure, household wastes and wood ash improves yields and reduces pest attacks. In fact, such composts help to give yields that are just as good as those obtained with the use of inorganic fertilizers....
Notes
Manuring plantains with a compost of poultry manure, household wastes and wood ash improves yields and reduces pest attacks. In fact, such composts help to give yields that are just as good as those obtained with the use of inorganic fertilizers. Traditionally Nigerian households have always used waste products such as wood ash and livestock manures to mulch their plantains. Recent trials at Owerri have compared the traditional way with the commercial system, which uses inorganic fertilizers and chemical nematicides. Plantains manured with compost at 16t/ha yielded 10.9kg of plantains per plant. Those that received 320kg/ha of a balanced inorganic fertilizer yielded slightly less, at 10.6kg per plant. Other plots that received lower quality compost yielded much less. The compost was more effective at controlling nematodes and borer weevils than the chemical nematicide, Furadan. In all the treatments that received wood ash pest problems were reduced from 17% to 2% infestation. It is thought that wood ash impedes nematode egg hatching and larva movement. The wood ash also adds mineral nutrients to the soil. It is doubtful whether enough compost could~be made from household wastes. It will therefore be necessary to develop a balanced compost if the system is to be used on a large scale. Dr J C Obiefuna Federal University of Technology, Owerri, NIGERIA
Subjects
NATURAL RESOURCES MANAGEMENT; ENVIRONMENT;
Organizations Affiliated to the Authors
Technical Centre for Agricultural and Rural Cooperation
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