Evaluation of Planting Distance and Poultry Manure on Performance of Utasi (Gongronema latifolium)

Abstract

Gongronema latifolium (Benth) commonly call ‘ Utasi”, or “Arokeke” in local Nigerian languages (Igbo and yoruba) names belongs to the family Asclepiadaceae is a neglected vegetable in Nigeria. The plant has high economic importance, the leaves, stem and roots are very useful for food, medicine and other domestic purposes. Studies were conducted to determine effects of poultry manure and planting distance on the growth and yield of utasi (Gongronema latifolium) in a tropical utisol of the Cross River University of Technology, Department of Agronomy ,Faculty of Agriculture, Obubra, Cross River state, Nigeria in 2017 and 2018 cropping seasons. The experimental design was a 4 x 5 factorial laid out in a randomized complete block design. Treatments were 4 planting distances of 100 X 40, 100 X 60, 100 X 80 and 100 X 100cm and five rates of poultry manure at 0,1.0, 2.5, 3.5, and 4.5. They were 20 treatments combination replicated three times. Data collected on growth and yield parameters were statistically analyzed using analysis of variance (ANOVA) procedure. Results showed that wider intra row planting distance gave higher number of leaves, branches and dry matter of plant fractions than closer row planting distance. The application of poultry manure significantly (p<0.05) increased plant height, the number of leaves and branches per plant . Poultry manure rate of 4.5 t/ha recorded the highest leaf area index , number of leaves per plant (36.2) and (38.4) at 50% anthesis in 2017 and 2018 cropping seasons respectively. The was significant interaction between poultry manure and planting distance. The highest Gongronema latifolium fresh leaves yield at 21 WAP (151.37g in 2017 and 153.42g in 2018) and dry leaf yield (60.55 g in 2017, and 61.28 g in 2018 ) yield per plant were obtained in wider intra row planting distance of 100 x 100cm that received 3.5 t/ha, poultry manure at 21 weeks after planting, while the closer inter row planting distance of 100 x 40cm that received 3.5 t/ha poultry manure produced the highest fresh leaves yield of (3.512 t/ha in 2018 and 3.613 t/ha in 2019 ) and dry leaf yield of ( 0.788 t/ha in 2017 and 0.986 t/ha in 2018) yield per hectare in both cropping seasons (2017 and 2018).Farmers are advice to cultivate Utasi ( Gongronema latifolium ) at panting distance of 100 x 40 cm with the application of 3.5t/ha poultry manure for optimum growth and yield in an utisol of tropical agro ecological zone.