The use of organic fertiliser as an alternative to inorganic fertiliser increased among
subsistence farmers in rural areas in KwaZulu Natal. No clear recommendations
exist for the application of different organic fertilisers on vegetables. Two field trials
were conducted at Umsunduze Training Centre, KwaZulu Natal during the 2005 and
2006 seasons. The effect of three different organic fertilisers (chicken, kraal manure
and compost) were investigated on the growth, yield and quality of cabbage cv.
Conquistador and carrots cv. Kuroda. Four application rates were used for each
organic fertiliser (chicken manure: 0, 6.25, 12.5 and 25 kg 10 m-2; kraal manure: 0,
12.5, 25 and 50 kg 10 m-2; compost: 0, 25, 50 and 100 kg 10 m-2). Each treatment
combination was replicated four times. Organic fertilisers were incorporated into the
soil one month before planting. Number of leaves and plant height were measured
for the first 8 weeks after planting for both crops. Fresh and dry mass was
determined at harvesting for both cabbage and carrots. Cabbage head and carrot
shoulder diameter, carrot root length and carrot root total soluble solids were
measured at harvesting. Both crops were graded (cabbage into 3 and carrots into 5
classes) according to their external appearance. After harvesting, soil analysis
(2005 and 2006) and plant analysis (2006) were done for both crops.
Chicken manure applied at 12.5 or 25 kg 10 m-2 showed a significant increase in the
growth rate of cabbage during the first 8 weeks after transplanting in both seasons.
During 2005, fresh mass of cabbage that received 12.5 or 25 kg 10 m-2 chicken
manure was significantly higher and of better quality than the other organic fertiliser
treatments. In 2006, the fresh mass and quality of cabbage that received
50 kg 10 m-2 kraal manure, 25 kg 10 m-2 chicken manure or 100 kg 10 m-2 compost
was significantly higher than the other organic treatments. Dry mass also
significantly increased when 25 kg 10 m-2 chicken manure was applied. Compost
significantly increased the nitrogen, phosphorus, potassium, sulphur and calcium
content, while kraal manure significantly increased the phosphorus, potassium and
magnesium content of the soil after two years of application. It was in most cases the two highest application rates (Rate 2 and 3) that significantly influenced the
chemical properties of the soil. Only chicken manure significantly influenced the
nitrogen content of cabbage heads.
Carrot plants that received chicken and kraal manure at Rate 2 or 3 produced the
most number of leaves while the tallest carrot plants were obtained where
25 kg 10 m-2 chicken manure or 50 kg 10 m-2 compost was applied, at 8 weeks after
planting. Different organic fertilisers and application rates did not significantly
influence the fresh mass and root length of carrots. Dry mass of carrots that
received 25 kg 10 m-2 chicken manure, 50 kg 10 m-2 kraal manure or 25 kg 10 m-2
compost was significantly greater than plants that did not receive any fertiliser in
2006. High organic fertiliser rates (Rate 3) significantly increased shoulder diameter.
In 2005, chicken manure and compost significantly decreased total soluble solid
content of carrots. In 2006, the highest total soluble solid content was obtained with
12.5 kg 10 m-2 chicken manure. An increase in the organic fertiliser rate promoted
the development of hairy carrots in 2005 and carrots that received compost (Class 3)
was of a poorer quality than those that received chicken or kraal manure (Class 2) in
2006. Compost significantly increased the phosphorus, potassium content and NIRS
organic matter of the soil and kraal manure only significantly increased the sulphur
content of the soil after two years of application. Chicken manure (25 kg 10 m-2) and
100 kg 10 m-2 compost significantly increased the nitrogen content of carrot roots,
while the calcium content was significantly lowered where chicken manure was
applied. Kraal manure significantly increased the iron content and 6.25 kg 10 m-2
chicken manure increased the total carbon content of carrots.
| Identifer | oai:union.ndltd.org:netd.ac.za/oai:union.ndltd.org:ufs/oai:etd.uovs.ac.za:etd-10092009-162507 |
| Date | 09 October 2009 |
| Creators | Mbatha, Alice Nompumelelo |
| Contributors | Dr GM Ceronio, Dr GM Engelbrecht |
| Publisher | University of the Free State |
| Source Sets | South African National ETD Portal |
| Language | en-uk |
| Detected Language | English |
| Type | text |
| Format | application/pdf |
| Source | http://etd.uovs.ac.za//theses/available/etd-10092009-162507/restricted/ |
| Rights | unrestricted, I hereby certify that, if appropriate, I have obtained and attached hereto a written permission statement from the owner(s) of each third party copyrighted matter to be included in my thesis, dissertation, or project report, allowing distribution as specified below. I certify that the version I submitted is the same as that approved by my advisory committee. I hereby grant to University Free State or its agents the non-exclusive license to archive and make accessible, under the conditions specified below, my thesis, dissertation, or project report in whole or in part in all forms of media, now or hereafter known. I retain all other ownership rights to the copyright of the thesis, dissertation or project report. I also retain the right to use in future works (such as articles or books) all or part of this thesis, dissertation, or project report. |
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