GROWTH AND YIELD PERFORMANCE OF HOT PEPPER USING AQUACULTURE WASTEWATER

A field experiment was conducted to determine the growth and yield performance of hot pepper using aquaculture wastewater. Some parameters used as indicies to ascertain the usability of wastewaters such as pH, Total Suspended Solids (TSS), Dissolved Oxygen (DO), Chemical Oxygen Demand (COD), Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD), nitrate, phosphate, chloride and Electrical Conductivity (EC) were also considered in the analysis. Soil analysis was also carried out to determine the quantity of the nutrients that affect the growth and yield performance of the pepper. ANOVA was used as a statistical tool for the analysis. The research was carried out at the Department of Fisheries and Aquaculture Technology, Teaching and Research Farm, the Federal University of Technology Akure. The Experimental set up was divided into a treatment unit consisting of a constructed wetlands system for treating aquaculture wastewater and another unit for planting of hot pepper which consisted of a randomized complete block of three treatments and nine replicates. The three treatments were Untreated Wastewater (UT), Treated Wastewater (TW) and Control Treatment (CT) respectively. The responses of the growth of hot pepper plants to the various treatments showed that the average plant height and number of leaves for each of the treatments UT, TW and CT at 11 Weeks After Transplanting (WAT) were 40, 43 and 37cm; and 242, 275 and 209 respectively. However, the highest average yield of 201.06kg/ha was obtained in treatment UT, while treatment TW and CT gave average yield of 164.25kg/ha and 88.17kg/ha. Wastewater reuse is recommended after for agricultural purpose