EFFECT OF DIFFERENT CONCENTRATION OF POULTRY DROPPINGS ON THE GROWTH AND PROXIMATE COMPOSITION OF Amaranthus cruentus L.

Abstract

Amaranthus cruentus L. is a leafy vegetable commonly grown in Nigeria and other West African
countries. Due to its high demand and abundance of poultry manure, farmers abuse the usage of
poultry manure thereby causing soil nutrient imbalance and associated animal and human health
risks, as well as surface water and groundwater contamination. This study investigated the
growth performance, yields, and nutritional quality of Amaranthus cruentus under different
concentration of poultry manure. Four different concentrations were used as treatments including
5, 10, 15, and 20 kg/plot, while plot without the application of poultry manure served as the
control. It was observed that the growth parameters, such as plant height, stem girth, number of
leaves and leaf area of plants have significantly affected by the increase in the concentration of
the poultry manure. Optimum growth and significant improvement in the proximate composition
such as ash and moisture content, fat, crude protein and fiber was achieved in poultry manure
concentration of 15 kg/plot relative to the other treatments. Further increase of the poultry
manure to the concentration of 20 kg/plot even though increase the growth performance, but
lowered the available carbohydrate and total energy. Hence, the research recommended for
farmers the use of 15 kg/plot of poultry manure for an enhanced/higher growth of A. cruentus.