THE EFFECT OF MANURING ON THE GROWTH AND YIELD OF SOLANUM MELONGENA (GARDEN EGG)

The cultivation of Solanum melongena (garden egg) plays an important role in food security andnutrition, but its productivity is often constrained by poor soil fertility and inadequate agronomicpractices. This study was therefore aimed at evaluating the effect of different organic manures onthe growth and yield performance of garden egg. The experiment was conducted at the AppliedBiology and Biotechnology Garden of Enugu State University of Science and Technology, AgbaniCampus. Garden egg seeds were sourced, authenticated, and raised in nursery beds before beingtransplanted into polythene pots containing loamy soil amended separately with poultry, pig, andgoat manures, while unamended soil served as control. The experiment was laid out in 24 potswith six replications per treatment. Data were collected on plant height, number of leaves, numberof roots, stem circumference, root length, and flower production. Analysis of Variance (ANOVA)was used to determine significant differences among treatments. Results showed that poultrymanure significantly (P<0.05) enhanced all growth parameters compared to other treatments.Seedlings grown with poultry manure attained the highest plant height (37.00 ± 1.46 cm), numberof leaves (23.33 ± 2.84), stem circumference (3.52 ± 0.14 cm), root number (68.50 ± 8.12), andlongest root length (32.17 ± 3.56 cm). Flowering also occurred earlier in poultry manure treatments(0.67 ± 0.67) compared to pig manure (0.17 ± 0.17), while goat manure and control pots producedno flowers during the study period. Goat and pig manures supported moderate growth, whileunamended soil consistently gave the poorest results. It was concluded that poultry manure is themost effective organic amendment for promoting vigorous vegetative growth and earlyreproductive development in garden egg. The study therefore recommends the use of poultrymanure as an affordable and eco-friendly option for enhancing the growth and yield of Solanummelongena. Further research should investigate the combined effects of poultry manure with othersoil amendments to optimize nutrient use efficiency and maximize yield.