GROWTH RESPONSE OF GONGRONEMA LATIFOLIUM (AMA-RANTHGLOBE)TOSOURCESANDRATESOFORGANICMANURESIN AN ACID SOIL ENVIRONMENT OF TROPICAL REGIONS

A βield potted experiment was carried out in Asaba area of Delta State, Nige-ria to evaluate sources and rates of organic manures (poultry and farmyard) ongrowth responses of Gongronema latifolium in an acid soil environment. It wasa factorial experiment laid out in a randomized complete block design repli-cated 3 times. Data on plant height, number of leaves/branches, leaf area andstem girth were collected at 3, 5, 7, 9, 11 and 13 Weeks after sowing (WAS)and subjected to analysis of variance. The results that the effects on growthparameters of the crop were not signiβicant and that higher application ratessigniβicantly increased plant height, number of leaves/branches and stem girthof G. latifolium. Application rates of 15 and 20 t/ha of both poultry and farmyard manures increased plant height from 10.45 cm to 12.52 cm and 8.12 cmand 10.68 cm respectively. The overall result indicated that the higher rateof organic manure, the better the response of growth indices of G. latifolium,though interaction effect was not signiβicant. Poultry manure produced highervalues of growth indices than farm yard manure, hence was recommended forincreased productivity of G.latifolium in the study area.