Influence of biofertilizer on soil properties, growth and yield of hot pepper (Capsicum frutescens) in calabar, cross river state, nigeria

Abstract

Background and Objective: The inability of NPK fertilizer to optimize crop yield over a long time without environmental pollution prompted this study on bio-fertilizer production through anaerobic digestion utilizing cow dung (C), banana (B), watermelon (W) and paw-paw (P) fruit peels and its effect on soil properties, growth responses and yield of hot pepper. Materials and Methods: A field experiment was carried out during the dry and wet seasons in 2015/2016 cropping year in University of Calabar Teaching and Research Farm. The treatment comprised 11 bioslurry and two control replicated three times and laid out in Randomized Compete Block Design. Results: The result obtained showed an increase in soil pH for W, B+W, C+W, B+P and C+P (6.1-6.5), W+P and W+C+P+B (6.7-6.8) and C+B and C (7.8-8.2) amended soil compared with control soils (4.7-4.8). Organic carbon values (>1.5%) and total nitrogen (>0.2%) were obtained on amended soils compared with low values on control soils. Except K contents, bio-fertilizer amended soils showed enhancement in Ca (> 4.0 cmol kgG1), Mg (>0.4 cmol kgG1), available P (>34.4 mg kgG1), CEC (>7.1 cmol kgG1) and ECEC (>6.1 cmol kgG1) relative to the unamended or NPK amended soils. Similarly, soils amended with W+C+P+B bio-fertilizer significantly (p<0.05) produced the tallest pepper plants with highest number of leaves, leaf area index, number of fruit per plant, fresh fruit yield (13.61 t haG1) and dry fruit yield (1.33 t haG1 ). Conclusion: The result obtained from the current research indicated that maximum yield of pepper could be achieved from the combination of W+C+P+B bio-fertilizer.