The effects of different pineapple wastes on soil chemical properties and growth and yield of Okra ( Abelmoschus esculentus L.)

Abstract

The high demand for pineapple fruit generates several waste products that can be recycled through composting. This study examined the impact of pineapple waste compost on the chemical properties of soil and its effect on growth and yield of okra (Abelmoschus esculentus L.). T0 (control), T1 (pineapple peel compost), and T2 (pineapple core compost) of pineapple compost were added to the okra growth medium, and these treatments were arranged in a Randomised Complete Block Design (RCBD) along with five replications. The pineapple peel and core compost were applied at a homogeneous rate (10% of the volume of the polybag). The treatments were applied one week before the transplants of the okra seedlings. Base fertiliser NPK Green (15:15:15) was applied one week after transplanting, with the same amount for all treatments. Analysis of variance (ANOVA) was used to compare all of the data in this study, and the Tukey Test to separate the statistically different means at p<0.05. There was no significant (p≥0.05) variation in plant growth characteristics such as plant height, leaf number, fruit number, root length, and plant biomass in this study. Pineapple peel compost (T1) showed better growth performance than other treatments except for the parameter of root length. The application of pineapple waste compost enhanced soil pH, macronutrients (K, Ca, and Mg), and micronutrients (Zn, Cu, and Mn). However, no significant (p≥0.05) differences were identified except for soil pH, exchangeable calcium (Ca), and total zinc (Zn). Using both composts revealed that they could improve the chemical properties of the soil, which led to better plant growth compared to the control treatment (T0).