Effects Of Mixtures Of Pig Manure And Sandy Soil On The Growth Of Tomato Seedlings

A study was carried out to evaluate the effects of mixtures of various levels of pig manure with sandy soil on the growth of tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum Mill) seedlings. Pig manure was mixed with sandy soil at the rates of 0, 25, 50, 75 and 100% respectively on volume/volume basis of the dry materials, the treatments were therefore 100% sandy soil, 75% sandy soil + 25% pig manure, 50% sandy soil + 50% pig manure in sandy soil significantly (p< 0.05) improved the level of seedling emergency, plant height, and leaf number per plant and dry biomass of tomato seedlings. Higher levels of inclusion of pig manure in sandy soil resulted in significantly taller and bigger tomato seedlings. 50 and 75% inclusion of pig manure had similar effects on most growth attributes of tomato seedlings recorded: the use of 50% pig manure and 50% sandy soil was the optimum in this study. It is therefore recommended that equal volumes of pig manure be mixed with sandy soil of similar properties with that of Anwai-Asaba area for the raising of vigorous local tomato seedlings. Seedlings raised in 50% sandy soil + 50% pig manure had 79,4% more seedling emergence at 6 days after planting and 233% more plant height at six weeks after planting relative to the ones raised in 100% sandy soil. It is suggested for further studies that various levels of pig manure between 25 and 50% be evaluated to find out if rates of inclusion between these levels will give similar results with 50% inclusion of pig manure. JORIND Vol. 4 (2) 2006: pp. 83-8