EFFECTS OF LEVEL OF POULTRY MANURE ON YIELD AND POST – HARVET QUALITY OF CELOSIA ORGENTIA

BSTRACT

A field experiment was conducted at the Department of Agronomy, University of Ibadan to asses the effect of four levels of poultry manure on yield and post – harvest quality of celosia argentina. The levels of poultry manure used were 0, 10, 30 and 50t/ha. The growth and yield parameters measured were plant height, number of leaves, number of branches, fresh weight and total yield. The post harvest parameters were measured under three storage conditions i.e Ambient (25 – 270c) Evaporative coolant structure (20 – 220c) and refrigerator (4 – 120c). the parameters measured were freshness, colour change, weight loss and leaf detachment.

The result obtained showed that 30t/ha of poultry manure significantly (PC 0.05) increased all the growth and yield parameters measured. This was followed by 50t/ha and then 10t/ha. The post harvest quality of celosia was significantly higher for fruits stored under the refrigerator, which kept well for 12 days. This was followed by ECS, which stores for 6 days and 2 days under the ambient respectively. The different levels pf poultry manure has no significant effects on the post harvest quality of celosia.