OUTCOME OF COMPOST MADE FROM TITHONIA DIVERSIFOLIA, POULTRY MANURE AND COW DUNG ON GROWTH AND FRUIT YIELD OF OKRA (ABELMOSCHUS ESCULENTUS L. MOENCH)

Compost quality depends on the kind and worth of raw materials used in producing it which in turn influences its effect on plants. During rainy season, in year 2011 and 2013 field experiments were carried out at the Federal University of Agriculture, Abeokuta to ascertain the effects of Tithonia divers folia + poultry manure compost and T. divers folia + cow dung compost on the growth and yield of Okra. Fertilizers were T. divers folia + poultry manure compost at 10, 20 and 30 t ha-1 (PMC 10, PMC 20 and PMC 30, respectively) and T. divers folia + cow dung compost at 10, 20 and 30 t ha-1 (CDC 10, CDC 20 and CDC 30, respectively), ordinary poultry manure at 10 t ha-1 (PM 10), ordinary T. divers folia at 10 t ha-1 (T 10), ordinary cow dung at 15 t ha-1 (CD 15) and a control (unfertilized plot). The fertilizers were arranged in a Randomized Complete Block Design which was replicated three times. Data were collected on the plant height, number of leaves, stem girth, number of days to 50% flowering, number of fruits and pod weight. Data collected were subjected to analysis of variance and the significant means were separated using Duncan Multiple Range Test (p<0.05). Results showed that plants fertilized with PMC 30 had increased plant height of 36.13 cm in 2011 while plants treated with PMC 30 had highest height of 30.72 cm in 2013. Highest numbers of leaves were observed on plants treated with PMC 20 and PMC 30 (14.00 and 14.00) in 2011 and 2013, respectively. Application of PMC 10 increased okra stem girth in both years to 4.39 cm and 4.14 cm in 2011 and 2013 respectively, while plants treated with PMC 20 flowered earlier than unfertilized plants (29 days in both years). Application of CDC 30 and PMC 30 resulted in highest percentage increase (46.64 %, 30.89 %) in number of okra fruits compared to control in 2011 and 2013 respectively. In 2011 and 2013, okra plants treated with CDC 20 and PMC 30 had a significantly increased (p<0.05) pod yield than the untreated okra. It is concluded that T. divers folia + poultry manure compost applied at 30 t ha-1 enhanced okra growth and yield and the treatment is consequently recommended to okra farmers for improved plant and optimum yield.