Effect of Cattle Manure and Calcium Ammonium Nitrogen on Growth and Leaf Yield of Local Cowpea Accessions in Coastal Kenya
Date
2016Author
Hutchinson, MJ
Muniu, FK
Ambuko, J
Mwakangalu, M
Mwangombe, AW
Okello, JJ
Olubayo, F
Type
ArticleLanguage
enMetadata
Show full item recordAbstract
Cowpea is one of the major food crops contributing to food security and poverty alleviation
especially among women and resource-poor farmers in marginal areas in Kenya. The effect of
different concentrations of cattle manure and inorganic nitrogen (Calcium ammonium nitrate, CAN)
application on growth and fresh and dry leaf yields from single and multiple harvest of four local
vegetable cowpea accessions, Mnyenze madamada, Sura mbaya, Katsetse and Usimpe mtu
mdogo, was studied over two seasons at Mtwapa in coastal Kenya. The research was conducted in
a randomized complete block design with three replications with treatments arranged in a factorial
arrangement. Analysis of variance was carried out on the data using Genstat Statistical package
and means were compared using LSD at 5% level of significance (P=.05). Application of cattle
manure and inorganic nitrogen fertilizer CAN had no effect or slightly decreased root length and
had no effect on the number of branches per plant irrespective of seasons. The application of
organic and inorganic fertilizers increased plant height, canopy width and fresh and dry weights
depending on the season. The plants planted during the second and drier second season had
lower growth and yield attributes compared to those planted during the first season. Of significance
was the significant yield increase from multiple harvests with indications of yield improvements from
as low as 1.5-4.0 tons/ha to between 15-20 tons/ha. Calcium ammonium nitrate was more effective
compared to cattle manure during the dry season compared to the wet season, when cattle manure
significantly increased yields (P>.05). The four select local cowpea accessions responded
positively to the organic and inorganic fertilizers over seasons and therefore have the capacity to
address food security and income generation in marginal parts of Kenya.
URI
https://profiles.uonbi.ac.ke/jane_ambuko/publications/effect-cattle-manure-and-calcium-ammonium-nitrogen-growth-and-leaf-yield-lohttp://erepository.uonbi.ac.ke/handle/11295/153475
Citation
Hutchinson MJ, Muniu FK, Ambuko J, Mwakangalu M, Mwangombe AW, Okello JJ, Olubayo F. "Effect of Cattle Manure and Calcium Ammonium Nitrogen on Growth and Leaf Yield of Local Cowpea Accessions in Coastal Kenya." International Journal of plant and soil science. 2016;12(3):1-12.Publisher
University of Nairobi
Rights
Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivs 3.0 United StatesUsage Rights
http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/us/Collections
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