ABSTRACT
The
experiment was conducted during 2017 rainy season at the students’ research
farm of Federal College of Agriculture, Ishiagu in Ebonyi State to determine
the effect of poultry and piggery manure on the yield of sweet potato. The treatments were laid in a Randomized
Complete Block Design (RCBD) and replicated three times. Data were collected of plant (vine length cm)
number of branches at 2, 4, 6 and 8 weeks after planting (WAP) and number of
leaves. That were collected and subjected
to Analysis of Variance. The result
showed that the treatments were significant.
Recommended high level of these organic increases yield of crops. I have
noticed that organic manure increases crop yield, I therefore recommend for
farmers.
CHAPTER
ONE
INTRODUCTION
1.1
BACKGROUND OF THE STUDY
Sweet potato (Ipomoea
batatas) is a member of the convolvulaceae family, Genus Ipomoea, species
batatas of flowering plants which includes the morning glory, Chokewed, and
water spinach. The sweet potato has been
cultivated for thousands of years for its tuberous roots. It is one of the most nutritious vegetables
and is grown and eaten in many countries around the world. It is also used as animal feed and as the
source of many other products.
Sweet potatoes offer
both a physical value, and inner or spiritual value for human physically, they
are one of the most nutritional vegetables available and likewise are an
important commercial crops. Beyond this,
however, they also provide aesthetic value through the beauty of their skin
(which can be red, purple, brown and white) and the flesh (which can range
between white, yellow, orange and purple).
Sweet potato is
regarded as a minor root crop in Nigeria and ranks fourth among root crops
after cassava (Manihot spp) yam (Dioscorea spp) Ikwelle (1999).
Sweet potato has
numerous cultivars in existence, it is a dicotyledous plant (Yayock,
1994). However, the current food need
makes sweet potato presently important and is gaining popularity, particularly
because it yields well and is of short duration (3-5 months) Hahn (1977).
1.2 ORIGIN AND HISTORY OF SWEET POTATO
Sweet potatoes are
native to the tropical Americas and were first cultivated there at least 5,000
years ago. They spread very early
throughout the region, including the Caribbean and what is now the South
eastern United States were brought to Europe by Spanish and Portuguese explores
and sweet potato cultivation quickly spread throughout much of the world.
When Europeans first
visited Polynesia they found sweet potatoes being grown. How and when they first got, there is a
subject of much debate among anthropologists and historians with some saying
that this is evidence of early contact with the peoples of South America and
others that the sweet potatoes arrived there from the other direction after
1492 (C GIAR, 2006).
1.3 VARIETIES OF SWEET POTATO
The following are three
popular sweet potato varieties found in grocery stores nationwide. Depending on flavuor and texture, certain
sweet potato varieties lend themselves better for certain recipes.
1.4 CULTIVATION OF SWEET POTATO
Sweet potatoes grown
best where the summers are long and hot and there is plenty of rain. The plant does not tolerate frost. It grows best at an average temperature of 240c
(750f) depending on the cultivar and condition, tuberous roots
mature in 2 to 9 months. With care,
early maturing cultivars can be grown as annual summer crops in temperate
areas, such as northern United States.
They are mostly propagated by stem or root cutting or by adventitious
root called “slips” that grow out from the tuberous root during storage. True seeds are used for breeding only.
Under optimal
conditions of 85 to 90 percent relative at 13 to 160c (55 to 610f)
sweet potatoes can keep to six months.
Colder temperature injure the roots.
1.5 HARVESTING OF SWEET POTATO
Gardeners in North
Carolina, the biggest sweet potato producing state, time their planting so the
roots will mature by late September and early October. This gives them time to harvest before the
first frost.
1.6 NUTRITION AND USES OF SWEET POTATO
Sweet potato is one of
the most nutritious vegetables. Although
the leaves and shoots are also edible, the starchy tuberous roots are by far
most important product. In some tropical
areas, they are staple food crop. Beside
starch they are rich in dietary fiber, vitamin A, vitamin C and vitamin B6
(pyridoxine) all cultivars are more or less sweet flavoured.
Nutrition action Health
letter similarly rated 58 vegetables according to vitamin A and C folate, iron,
copper, and calcium, plus fiber. The
roots are most frequently boiled, fried or baked. They can also be processed to make starch and
a partial flour.
Industrial uses
includes the production of starch and industrial alcohol. All part of the plant are used for animal
feed.
1.7 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM
·
Inappropriate seedbed preparation
methods reduce sweet potato growth and yield.
·
Improved seed preparation increase sweet
potato growth and yield and this may offset initial cost
·
Application of wrong manure by the
farmers hinders the growth of sweet potato
·
Lack of agricultural extension officers
·
Infertility of the soil.
1.8 PURPOSES OF STUDY
The objectives of the study includes the
following:
·
To determine the effect of different
rate of poultry and piggery manure on the yield of sweet potato.
·
To determine the rate at which poultry
and piggery manure contribute to the yield of sweet potato
·
To access the effect of commonly used
seedbed preparation methods on sweet potato growth and yield
·
To recommend with the result achieved
from the project, the most effective manure to use in order to attain maximum
yield and also minimize the cost of input.
1.9
JUSTIFICATION OF THE STUDY
·
To ascertain the types of manure to be
used in order to reduce the cost of input in production
·
Improved seed preparation increases sweet
potato growth and yield and this may offset initial cost
·
To enhance the fertility of the soil
·
To correct the impression of applying
wrong manure by the farmers.
·
To employ more Agricultural extensionist
who will encourage the farmers and give them guideline
1.10 SCOPE OF STUDY
The scope of this study is to know the
effect of poultry and piggery manure on the yield of sweet potato (Ipomoea
batatas) in Amagu Ishiagu, Ivo Local Government Area of Ebonyi State, Nigeria.