PERFORMANCE OF IRISH POTATO (SOLANUM TUBEROSUM L.) AS AFFECTED BY NPK FERTILIZER AND POULTRY MANURE RATES IN MUBI, NORTHERN SUDAN SAVANNAH, NIGERIA

Abstract

An experiment was conducted at the student demonstration farm of the Department of Agriculture,
Federal Polytechnic, Mubi to evaluate the “Performance of Irish potato as Affected by NPK Fertilizer
and Poultry Manure Rates in Mubi, Northern Sudan Savannah, Nigeria” during the 2024 rainy season.
The treatment consisted of 4 rates of Poultry manure: (9.5 t ha
-1
, 7.5 t ha
-1
, 5.5 t ha
-1
, and 3.5 t ha
-
1
) and 4 rates of NPK fertilizer: (0 kg NPK ha
-1
, 50 kg NPK ha
-1
, 75 kg NPK ha
-1 and 100 kg NPK ha
-
1
) The experiment was conducted in a Split-Plot Design, replicated 3 times. Data were collected on
days to seedling emergence, days to 1
st
flowering, days to tuber maturity, average tuber weight,
tubers yield plot (kg) and tuber yield ha
-1
. Data obtained were subjected to analysis of variance
ANOVA using Statistical Package for Scientist and Engineer (SPES), 2012. Significant means were
separated using Duncan Multiple Range Test (DMRT).The result of growth performance showed
that; there were significant difference in the poultry manure application with days to seedling
emergence and number of branches at 9 weeks (P<0.05), plant height at 6 weeks , number of
leaves at 3 and 9 weeks (P<0.01). However, plant height at 3 weeks, number of leaves at 6 weeks
and number of branches at 3 and 6 weeks were not affected. Result of NPK rates application showed
that days to seedling emergence, plant height at 6 weeks, number of leaves at 9 weeks, number of
branches at 6 and 9 weeks were significantly (P<0.001) different among the various rates of NPK
fertilizer application. Result of yield and yield components revealed that, days to 1
st
flower and
number of tubers per plot were (P<0.01) and yield per hectare (P<0.05) was significantly affected
by the rates of poultry manure application However, days to tuber maturity and average tuber
weight were not significantly different. Result of NPK rate application showed that days to 1
st
flower
and average tuber weight (P<0.05), number of tubers per plot and tuber yield per hectare (P<0.001)
were significantly affected by the different rate of NPK application. However, days to tuber maturity
was not statistically different. The interaction effects depicted that plant height, number of leaves
at 6 and 9 weeks, number of branches at 9 weeks, number of tubers per plant, tuber yield per plot
and tuber yield per hectare were either significantly different at P<0.01 or P<0.001. It could be
concluded and recommended that, poultry manure rate at 7.5 t PM ha
-1
, NPK fertilizer rate at 75 kg
NPK ha
-1 and combination of rate of P2N2 having given the best results in the growth performance
and yield parameters of Irish Potatoes be recommended for use in Mubi environment.