EFFECT OF DIFFERENT RATES OF POULTRY MANURE ON GROWTH AND YIELD OF ONION (Allium cepa L.) IN MAIDUGURI, BORNO, NIGERIA

The study examined the effect of different rates of poultry manure on the growth and yield of
onion (Allium cepa L.). The research was carried out at the Teaching and Research Farm,
Faculty of Agriculture, University of Maiduguri located at Latitude 11.40 and Longitude 11.40
during 2017/2018 dry season under dry season. The experiment was laid out in a Randomized
Complete Block Design (RCBD) with four treatments replicated three times which comprises of
T1 (2.5 t/ha), T2 (4.5 t/ha), T3 (6.5 t/ha), T4 (0 t/ha) rates of poultry manure . The parameters
assessed were plant height, leaf number, bulb diameter, bulb weight, and yield per hectare.
Plant height and leaf number were assessed at 3WAT, 6WAT, 9WAT while bulb diameter, bulb
weight and yield per hectare were assessed at harvest. Data collected were analyzed using LSD
at 5% level of probability. Results showed that the highest plant height (43 cm), highest leaf
number (14.6) occurred in T3 (6.5 t/ha) poultry manure application while the lowest plant
height (29.9 cm), lowest leaf number (9.5) was observed in T4 (0 t/ha). The highest bulb diameter
(14.1 cm), highest bulb weight (9.6 kg), yield per hectare (14.7 t/ha) was recorded in T3 (6.5
t/ha) application while the lowest bulb diameter (11.5 cm), lowest bulb weight (5 kg), lowest
yield per hectare (6.6 t/ha) was recorded in T4 (0 t/ha) application. It is therefore recommended
that farmers apply 6.5 t/ha of poultry manure for maximum growth and yield in onion
production.