Impact of combined application of urea and farm yard manure on the growth, yield and nitrate content of spinach (Spinacia oleracea L.) in the Nigerian northern Guinea savanna

• Authors: I. S. Ahmadu , U. Ibrahim , M. J. Dahiru , E. A. Shittu , L. Goma
• Languages of publication: EN

Abstracts

EN

The type of fertilizer is considered for influencing spinach yield and level of nitrate concentration for normal crop consumption. This experiment investigates plant growth, yield, and nitrate content in spinach with different fertilizer types and levels. In a two-location field experiment involving three rates of farmyard organic manure (6, 8, and 10 t ha-1 of FYM) and three levels of N.P.K. fertilizers (100:30:30, 150:30:30, and 200:30:30), three combinations of the two kinds of fertilizers (3 t ha-1 FYM + 90 kg N ha-1, 4 t ha-1 FYM + 70 kg N ha-1, and 5 t ha-1 FYM + 50 kg N ha-1), including a control (without any fertilizer), were laid out in a randomized complete block design and replicated thrice. The result showed that spinach treated with urea fertilizer was superior to those treated with farmyard manure and the control but comparable to those treated with the combined application of the urea and farmyard manure. The relatively higher yield of 39,587.92 and 40,222.0 kg ha-1 and 36,895.21; 36,354.5 kg ha-1 were obtained from urea application and combined application of urea and farmyard manure at Samaru and Shika, respectively. The study monitored the amount of nitrate in spinach leaves at various intervals following sowing. The findings indicated a correlation between elevated nutrient concentration and nitrate accumulation in urea-fertilized plots. Plants treated with urea in Samaru and Shika had the greatest nitrate buildup (1627 and 1675 mg kg⁻¹). Although the nitrate content dropped with increasing levels of farmyard manure combined with urea fertilizer (1101 and 1206 mg kg-1), all amounts fell below the European Safety Union limits.

Keywords

EN

Farm yard manure; nitrate concentration; spinach and growth attributes; urea

Discipline

• AGRICULTURE: AGRICULTURE

• Publisher: Scientific Publishing House „DARWIN”
• Journal: World News of Natural Sciences
• Year: 2025
• Volume: 59
• Pages: 180-192

Contributors

author

I. S. Ahmadu

• College of Agriculture and Animal Science, Mando, Division of Agricultural Colleges, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Nigeria

author

U. Ibrahim

• Samaru College of Agriculture, Division of Agricultural Colleges, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Kaduna State, Nigeria

author

M. J. Dahiru

• Samaru College of Agriculture, Division of Agricultural Colleges, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Kaduna State, Nigeria

author

E. A. Shittu

• Department of Agronomy, Faculty of Agriculture, Bayero University Kano, Nigeria

author

L. Goma

• Department of Agronomy, Faculty of Agriculture, Ahmadu Bello University, Zaria, Nigeria

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• Document Type: article