Effect of poultry manure and wood ash on the growth and yield of cucumber (Cucumis sativum L.) in Owerri Southeastern Nigeria

An experiment was carried out at the Teaching and Research Farm of the Federal University of Technology, Owerri between April and June 2018 to determine the effect of poultry manure and wood ash on the growth and yield of cucumber in Owerri southeastern, Nigeria. The treatments consisted of 3 poultry manure rate (0. 5 and 10 t ha-1) and 3 wood ash rates (0, 2 and 4 t ha-1) laid in a 3 × 3 factorial Randomized Complete Block Design (RCBD). Data were collected on soil chemical properties, growth and yield parameters of cucumber, and were analyzed using ANOVA. Means were separated using Least Significant Difference (LSD) statistical method. Results showed that poultry manure and wood ash significantly affected the growth and fruit yield of cucumber. Soil amendment at 10 t ha-1 poultry manure and 4 t ha-1 wood ash recorded the highest number of leaves, vine length (cm) at 6 weeks after planting (47.10 and 127.6 respectively). Fruit yield (47.8 t ha-1), fruit length (29.93 cm/plant) and number of fruit (7.67) per plot was highest with 10 t ha-1 poultry manure and 4 t ha-1 wood ash application but was least in 0 t ha-1 poultry manure and 0 t ha-1 wood ash (0.7, 7.00 and 1.33) respectively. On the basis of consistent higher production, it is recommended that 10 t ha-1 poultry manure and 4 t ha-1 wood ash be adopted in cucumber production in southeastern Nigeria. Keywords: Poultry manure, wood ash, cucumber, growth, yield.