Integrated use of organic amendments increased mungbean (Vigna radiata (L.) Wilczek) yield and its components compared to inorganic fertilizers

Abstract

Rainfall variability, low soil organic matter content, and costly inorganic fertilizers are the major agricultural constraints in Sub‐Saharan Africa. Integrated use of compost and manure is essential for sustaining soil fertility and increasing crop productivity. This study was conducted to evaluate the combined effects of compost and animal manure on mungbean growth and yield. The 12 treatments consisted of control, recommended dose of nitrogen, phosphorus, and potassium (NPK), 5 ton ha−1 of compost, 10 ton ha−1 of poultry, 10 ton ha−1 of cattle, and 10 ton ha−1 of sheep manure, and six combinations of organic amendments with 50% of their applied rate alone. These treatments were laid out in a randomized complete block design with six replications. Application of cattle manure at 10 ton ha−1 significantly increased mungbean seed yield by 66% and 84% compared to the recommended rate of NPK and control treatments, respectively. Similar observations were made on stem diameter, total pod weight, and number of seeds per pod. Plants amended with compost had the highest number of ramifications and number of pods than NPK fertilized plants, which recorded (9±) ramifications and (27±) pods per plant. On average, integrated use of 5 ton ha−1 of poultry manure + 5 ton ha−1 of cattle manure had the highest soil plant analysis development values, though not significantly different from NPK fertilizers. These results suggest that application of organic amendments could be an alternative to costly and inaccessible inorganic fertilizers for improving mungbean productivity under low‐input agriculture systems.