EFFICACY OF CHITOSAN EXTRACTED FROM CRAB EXOSKELETONS (CALLINECTES AMNICOLA AND CARDISOMA ARMATUM) IN COMBINATION WITH PSEUDOMONAS PUTIDA ON THE GROWTH AND GRAIN YIELD OF MAIZE ON FERRALLITIC SOIL IN SOUTH BENIN

The objective of the study was to evaluate chitosans produced from the exoskeletons of water (Callinectes amnicola) and land (Cardisoma armatum) crabs for use in agriculture in Benin. Then, the effects of these chitosans were combined with Pseudomonas putida in order to see their synergistic effects on the growth and yield of maize seeds of the variety EVDT 97 STR C1 for 80 days. The experimental design was a block of 13 treatments with three (03) replicates. After 60 DAS in the field, application of the combination C. amicola + P. putida + 50% NPK and C. armatum + P. putida + 50% NPK showed the highest average heights. Plants treated with the combination of C. armatum + P. putida + 50% NPK and C. amnicola + 50% NPK gave the best corn grain yields with increases of 51.68% and 45.57% respectively. This study confirms that sources of chitosan from shellfish exoskeletons are available in Benin and shows the potential to use chitosan alone or in combination with Rhizobacteria as bio fertilizers to improve productivity and increase maize yield in Benin while reducing the use of chemical fertilizers.