Optimum Returns in Irrigated Groundnut as Influenced by Poultry Manure Rates at Kadawa in the Sudan Savanna Ecological Zone of Nigeria

Summary

Groundnut has been reported to be one of the most important oil crops in the world. It plays an important role in the diets of rural populations, livestock feeding and soil fertility particularly in developing world. The yield from farmers’ field has been low due to several factors. Increased groundnut production can be achieved through irrigation to complement the rainy season production while its productivity can be enhanced by the use of a safer and available alternative source of fertilizer like the poultry manure. This work was therefore undertaken to determine economic optimum level of poultry manure in groundnut production under irrigation. To achieve this objectives field trials were conducted during the 2012/2013 and 2013/2014 dry seasons at the Irrigation Research farm of the Institute for Agricultural Research, Kadawa (Latitude, 11° 39 ' N, Longitude 08° 27' E, 500 meter above sea level) located in the Sudan Savanna ecological zone of Nigeria. The treatments consisted of three varieties of groundnut (SAMNUT 11, SAMNUT 22 and SAMNUT 23) and three levels of poultry manure (0, 1.5 and 3 tonnes ha-1). The treatments were laid out in a split- plot design, poultry manure rates were allocated to the main plot while the varieties were allocated to the subplot. The treatments were replicated three times throughout the period of experimentation. Yield data collected were subjected to analysis of variance, where significant differences existed, the Duncan multiple range test was used to separate the means. Result from regression analysis showed that the optimum rates of 1.94 tonnes ha-1 and 1.90 tonnes ha-1 were obtained in 2012/2013 and 2013/2014 give a yield of 2,557kg ha-1 and 2,409kg ha-1 respectively. When these rates were subjected to gross margin and cost-benefit analysis with respect to the rates used in this experiment it was found that application of 1.5 tonnes ha-1 gave the highest gross margin and cost- benefit ration. It can be concluded that the application of 1.5 tonnes ha-1 which gave the highest yield from the trials was more profitable; therefore, farmers are advice to adopt the use of 1.5 tonnes ha-1 for groundnut production in the study area.