Assessment of Growth and Yield Components of Introduced Sweet Melon (Cucumis melo L.) Using Organic Amendments in an Ultisols of Port Harcourt, Nigeria

A potted experiment was conducted at the Rivers State University Teaching and Research Farm to assess the yield and growth components of Sweet Melon introduced in an ultisols of Port Harcourt, Rivers State. The amendments used are organic liquid fertilizer (O.L.F), poultry droppings (P.D), Pig Manure (P.M) and the control (C). Results showed that all the amendments used appreciably improved the growth components. At Seven days after planting (7DAP), the control (C) had the highest % emergence (80 %) and the least % emergence (50%) was observed in plot treated with organic liquid fertilizer (OLF). Poultry dropping (PD) had the highest vine length (196.80 cm) and the least vine length was obtained in the control (138.50cm). Pig manure (PM) had the highest leaf area (169.00 cm) and the control plots (121.60cm) had the least leaf area at 8WAP. The highest fresh fruits weight (1.841 kg) was obtained in the organic liquid fertilizer (OLF) treated plot and the control had the least fruits yield (1.555kg). Generally, the results indicated that the amendments had a significant effect on the growth parameters of sweet melon and therefore, there is need for further research using organic amendments for the growth of other crops of interest. Thus the results indicated that the amendments had significant effect (p<0.05) on the growth parameters of sweet melon