EFFECTIVENESS OF COMPOSTED MORINGA (Moringa oleifera L.) LEAF AND POULTRY MANURE ON SOIL CHEMICAL PROPERTIES, GROWTH AND YIELD OF GARDEN EGG (Solanum gilo) IN A HUMID ENVIRONMENT

Field experiment was conducted during the 2022 and 2023 cropping seasons at Bakatari farm settlement in Ibadan, Oyo State to determine the effective rates of composted moringa leaf and poultry manure on soil chemical properties and yield performance of garden egg. The treatments involved composted moringa leaf and poultry manure at 0, 5, 10, 15 and 20 t/ha. These were laid in a randomized complete block design and replicated three times. Results of the study showed that the soil is acidic sandy loam, and characterized by low nutrient and organic matter. Furthermore, application of composted moringa leaf and poultry manure improved all the soil chemical properties determined. However, yield components of garden egg increased with increase in rates of composted moringa leaf and poultry manure application. Composed moringa leaf and poultry manure at 15 and 20 t/ha significantly (p˂0.05) improved the yield components determined relative to control in the 2022 and 2023 cropping seasons. Highest number of fruits, and fruit weight were obtained with 20 t/ha of composted moringa leaf and poultry manure application in 2022 and 2023 and these values were comparable with values obtained at 15 t/ha.