Comparative Efficacy of Organic Manures for Improved Performance of Waterleaf (Talinum fructicosum (L) Juss.) in the Humid Tropical Rainforest

Abstract

Waterleaf apart from being a source of food provides employment and income to mostly female peasant farmers. Field experiments were conducted to evaluate effects of organic manure types and their combinations on the growth and yield of water leaf in a typical tropical humid rainforest in 2016 and 2017 Cropping seasons. The experiment was laid out in a randomized complete block design (RCBD) with three replications. Treatments included sole poultry manure (PM) at 10 t ha-1 , 10 t ha-1 cow dung (CD), 8 t ha-1 oil palm bunch ash (OPBA) and their combinations including; 5 t ha-1 PM + t ha-1 CD, 5 t ha-1 PM +4 t ha-1 OPBA, 5 t ha-1 CD+4 t ha-1 OPBA and the control where no manures were applied. Data collected included; plant height, number of leaves and branches and leaf area plant-1 , fresh and dry weights of water leaf. These were analyzed using analysis of variance and means compared using Fisher's least significant difference (LSD) at 5%. Waterleaf plants fertilized with 10 t ha-1 PM and combination of 5 t ha-1 PM +4 t ha-1 OPBA showed better performance in all the parameters measured. Hence, 10 t ha-1 PM was recommended amongst other forms of organic manure applied as sole or in combination in Calabar agro ecology of Nigeria.

Sustainable technical efficiency: evidence from vegetable (waterleaf: Talinum triangulare) production in southern Nigeria

“…The increased use of these resources by farmers would lead to a corresponding and rational increase in the total output of waterleaf produced. Uko et al (2019) have reported a positive relationship between organic manure application and waterleaf output. Also, the farm size utilized by farmers is depicted in stage one (irrational stage) in the classical production surface.…”

“…Due to the competing needs of farm resources by other crop enterprises and high population density, as well as rapid urbanization (Akpan and Ebong, 2021) in the region, optimum efficiency in farm resource management by waterleaf farmers is the key to sustainable production. Currently, waterleaf is an integral part of urban agriculture, and its production has become one of the most highly preferred livelihood activities among unemployed women in the southern region of Nigeria (Udoh and Etim 2008;Nya et al, 2010;Akpan et al, 2010;Uko et al, 2019 andAkpan, 2020). The sustainability of small-scale farm enterprises like waterleaf production is critical and is necessitated by the need to meet the dietary requirement of the teeming consumers and also achieve food selfsufficiency in the southern region (Akpan et al, 2019c andOlugbire et al, 2021).…”

“…The findings showed a high profitable index of 0.78 among farmers and also identified the use of poultry manure, larger household size, increased farmers' education and capital accumulation as the key factors affecting the output of waterleaf in the State. Recently, Uko et al (2019), Akpan (2020) and Akpan and Monday (2021) established a positive relationship between farm inputs utilization and output of waterleaf in the humid tropical rainforest belt of Nigeria.…”