SOIL FERTILITY MANAGEMENT AND CROP SELECTION IN A SCREEN HOUSE USED FOR GIANT AFRICAN LAND SNAIL (Archachatina marginata) FARMING
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Abstract
The soil is a major habitat for snails and a medium for crops to grow, but it is
sometimes limited in the required nutrient needed by crops for optimum growth. This study investigated the most effective soil fertility management practices that are harmless to the snails and that are needed by snail-friendly crops: plantain, banana, pawpaw, sweet potato, waterleaf and cocoyam to grow to their maximum potentials in a screen house system. These different practices were: cover cropping, weeding and mulching. The implementation of these practices at the right time and in the right proportion, enhances the performance of the crops which are important to the snails as source of nutrition, environment enrichment, shell formation and reproduction. The data collected were plant height, number of leaves, greenness of leaves, clutch size, incubation and hatching. The results demonstrated that good soil fertility management
enhances the performance of both the crops and the snails.
sometimes limited in the required nutrient needed by crops for optimum growth. This study investigated the most effective soil fertility management practices that are harmless to the snails and that are needed by snail-friendly crops: plantain, banana, pawpaw, sweet potato, waterleaf and cocoyam to grow to their maximum potentials in a screen house system. These different practices were: cover cropping, weeding and mulching. The implementation of these practices at the right time and in the right proportion, enhances the performance of the crops which are important to the snails as source of nutrition, environment enrichment, shell formation and reproduction. The data collected were plant height, number of leaves, greenness of leaves, clutch size, incubation and hatching. The results demonstrated that good soil fertility management
enhances the performance of both the crops and the snails.
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