GROWTH, YIELD AND NUTRITIONAL QUALITY OF LONG CAYENNE PEPPER (Capsicum frutescens L.) AS INFLUENCED BY ORGANIC FERTILISERS IN IBADAN AND OGBOMOSO, NIGERIA

Abstract

Long Cayenne Pepper (LCP) is rich in capsaicin, vitamins and antioxidants but its fruit yield and quality is reduced by low soil fertility. Organic Fertilisers (OFs) are environmentally friendly and could be used to improve soil fertility, enhance yield and crop quality. However, information on response of LCP to OFs is scanty. Therefore, effects of different OFs on growth, yield and nutritional quality of LCP in Ibadan and Ogbomoso were investigated. Eight Organic fertilisers (Tithonia Compost-TC, Poultry Manure without Shavings-PM-S, Poultry Manure with Shavings-PM+S, Commercial Organic Fertiliser-COF, Brewery Waste-BW, Cow dung, Oil Palm Bunch Ash-OPBA and Cocoa Pod Husk-CPH) at the rate of 130 kg N/ha were each mixed with 5 kg soil from Ibadan and Ogbomoso in pots arranged in a completely randomised design with three replicates. Two cultivars of LCP (NHV-1A and NHV-1F) were transplanted at two seedlings/pot. Pots without OF served as control. Data were collected on Plant Height-PH (cm) and Number of Leaves (NL). On the field, three of the OFs (TC, SOF and PM-S) at the rate of 130 kg N/ha were evaluated on Pepper Fruit Yield-PFY (t/ha) in Ibadan and Ogbomoso. In another experiment, effects of TC at 0 (control), 45 (T1), 90 (T2) and 135 kg N/ha (T3) were evaluated on PFY in Ibadan and Ogbomoso. Vitamin C (VC) and Crude Protein (CP) contents of fruits were determined using standard procedures. Residual effects were evaluated. Field experiments were laid in a randomised complete block design with three replicates. Data were analysed using ANOVA at α0.05. Cultivar, OFs, location and their interaction effects were significant for PH and NL. The PH ranged from 50.2±3.2 (control, NHV-1F) to 78.3±5.2 (TC, NHV-1A) and 56.9±3.3 (control, NHV-1F) to 85.1±5.3 (TC, NHV-1A), while NL ranged from 125.4±13.6 (control, NHV-1F) to 219.9±16.6 (TC, NHV-1A) and 139.8±14.0 (control, NHV-1F) to 230.0±17.1 (TC, NHV-1A) in Ibadan and Ogbomoso, respectively. The PH (84.3±5.4) and NL (234.3±17.0) under TC were highest, but similar to 79.9±5.2 and 227.3±16 (COF) and 71.3±3.2 and 221.7±12.4 (PM-S), respectively. Control treatment had the least PH (50.2±4.0) and NL (125±12.2). The PFY differed significantly among OFs and cultivars. The PFY ranged from 6.4±0.2 (COF, NHV-1F) to 7.5±0.2 (TC, NHV-1A) and 10.3±0.5 (COF, NHV-1F) to 12.6±0.5 (TC, NHV-1A) in Ibadan and Ogbomoso, respectively. Across cultivars and locations, PFY was in the order 8.3±0.3 (TC) >7.3±0.3 (COF) >6.6±0.3 (PM-S) >5.3±0.3 (control). The PFY, VC and CP were significantly different among TC rates. Across locations, PFY under T2 (39.9±2.6) and T3 (43.5±3.7) were similar but significantly higher than T1 (30.5±3.3) and control (25.2±2.0). Across cultivars and TC rates, PFY in Ogbomoso (44.1±2.8) was significantly higher than in Ibadan (25.4±2.1). The VC and CP ranged from 68.4 (control) to 90.2% (T2) and 3.8 (control) to 6.3% (T3), respectively. In the residual, PFY, VC and CP ranged from 23.7±2.1 (control) to 33.2±5.0 (T3), 56.2 (control) to 82.0% (T2) and 3.0 (control) to 5.2% (T2), respectively. Application of 90 kg N/ha Tithonia compost improved the growth, yield, vitamin C and crude protein contents of long cayenne pepper in Ibadan and Ogbomoso, Nigeria.