RESIDUAL EFFECTS OF POULTRY MANURE ON YIELD, QUALITY PARAMETERS OF CARROT AND SELECTED SOIL CHEMICAL PROPERTIES ON ALFISOL IN SOUTHWEST, NIGERIA

Maintenance and management of soil fertility are centroal to the development of a sustainable food production system. Field experiments were conducted to evaluate the potential of poultry manure (PM) in enhancing growth, root yield, nutritional quality of carrot, and soil nutrients in the rainforest agroecology of southwest Nigeria. Poultry manure at three rates (0, 5, and 10 t ha-1)were investigated in a randomized complete block design, each rate of PM was replicated three times. Data collected were subjected to analysis of variance using Statistical Analysis System Institute Package. The results showed that the experimental soil was acidic (pH 5.5.), and low in nitrogen (0.1 g kg-1). Relative to the control, PM significantly (P < 0.05) influenced growth, root yield, nutritional quality of carrot, and soil major nutrients. There were no significant differences (P > 0.05) in the effect of 5 t ha-1 and 10 t ha-1 PM on gross root yield and marketable root yield of carrots. Poultry manure at 10 t ha-1 produced the highest root yield parameters, and also, had the highest residual effects on soil nitrogen, available P and organic carbon. The use of 10 t ha-1 PM is recommended for carrot production in the rainforest agroecology of southwest Nigeria. This rate of PM enhanced the best carrot performance and soil quality in the present study.