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Effect of fertilizer types and ethylene remediation agents on weight loss and shelf life of stored tomato (Solanum lycopersicum L.) fruits
22-33.Views:6This experiment was conducted to determine the influence of fertilizer types and ethylene remediation agents on postharvest shelf-life of tomato fruit. The experiment was conducted at the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta, Nigeria. Fruits were produced under four fertilizer treatment levels (Poultry manure, NPK 15:15:15, Poultry manure + NPK 15:15:15 and Control) and were harvested at breaker stage of maturity. The post-harvest treatments consist of eight ethylene remediation agents (ERAs) which includes three levels of 1-Methylcyclopropene (0.1 µL/L 1-MCP, 0.3 µL/L 1-MCP, 0.5 µL/L 1-MCP), two levels of Potassium tetraoxomanganate VII (5% 10% KMnO4), two levels of Zeolite (10 g and 20 g) and Open shelf as control. The parameters observed included fruit weight loss and days to spoilage (1st, 50% and 100%). It was observed that fruits produced with sole poultry manure and NPK 15-15-15 and stored in the media of 5% KMnO4 had a shelf life of 45 days, longer than observed in other fertilizer regimes. Fruits stored in 0.3 µL/L1-MCP, 0.5µL/L1-MCP and 5% KMnO4 concentrations as ERAs had reduced weight loss and delayed spoilage that translated to longer shelf-life. Fruits grown with poultry manure and treated with 0.3 µL/L1-MCP, 0.5µL/L1-MCP and 5% KMnO4 had better performance in terms of fruit firmness and shelf life compared to other treatments. The use of either 1-MCP or 5% KMnO4 is recommended as efficient ethylene scavengers in a storage medium for tomato fruit shelf-life extension.
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Impact of organic and inorganic fertilizers on the growth and yield of cabbage in Ghana
46-49.Views:1057A field experiment was conducted at Dormaa Ahenkro, Ghana, to determine the impact of inorganic and organic fertilizers on the growth and yield of cabbage. The experiment was laid in a randomized complete block design with three replications. The experiment treatment comprises of sole application of poultry manure (PM), NPK 15:15:5, the combined application of poultry manure and NPK fertilizer (PM+NPK) and the control (no fertilizer). Data was collected on the number of leaves, stem girth, plant height, head diameter, head weight and edible head weight. There was a significant difference (P<0.05) among all the treatments. The combined application of PM+NPK recorded the highest values for all the parameters measured. From the results obtained farmers should consider the combined application of PM and NPK to maximize yield on their farm.
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Agromorphological and nutritional quality profiles of fluted pumpkin (Telfairia occidentalis Hook F.) as influenced by cultivar, growing medium and soil amendment source
53-59.Views:281Fluted pumpkin (Telfairia occidentalis Hook F.) is popular as food and feed around the world. Sixteen treatments were developed from factorial combinations of three factors: cultivar (ugu elu and ugu ala), growing medium (garden soil (GS) and white sand (WS)), and soil amendment source (poultry manure, NPK, supergro and no amendment). A pot experiment was conducted to investigate the agromorphological and nutritional traits of fluted pumpkin obtained from the treatments. Fresh leaves were analyzed for crude protein, crude fibre, crude lipid, total ash, phytate and nitrate concentrations. Data were subjected to analysis of variance and principal component analysis. Mean plots were used to explain the effects of the three factors and profiling was done using the GYT biplot. There were significant (p≤0.05/0.01) mean squares for measured traits, suggesting the possibility of selection among the treatments. Plants in GS consistently out-performed those in WS for shoot weight, leaf length, and number of leaves per plant possibly due to greater availability of nutrients in the GS. Inconsistent patterns observed in the proximate concentrations of pumpkin from the 16 treatments showed the role of interaction among the three factors. Principal component analysis identified some traits as contributors to differences among the treatments which can be basis of selection. Treatments 2, 4, 6, 8, 10, 11, 12, 13, 14, 15, and 16 might be useful to improve vegetative yield while 1, 3, 5, 7, and 9 could improve nutritional values of the fluted pumpkin.
