FERTILIZER

The effects of organic and inorganic fertilizers on the growth and yield of Solanum macrocarpon (African eggplant) was investigated. Declining soil fertility remains a major challenge to agricultural productivity, necessitating the exploration of effective fertilization strategies. This research aimed to evaluate and compare the growth performance of Solanum macrocarpon under different fertilizer treatments, including poultry dung (organic manure), NPK (inorganic fertilizer), and a combination of both. A randomized complete block design (RCBD) was employed, with plants subjected to varying concentrations of the fertilizers. Growth parameters such as seed germination, chlorophyll content index, leaf number, leaf area and stem girth were monitored over the study period. Data were analyzed using IBM SPSS 20. Duncan Multiple Range (DMR) was used for Analyses of variance (ANOVA) to separate the means and report statistical significance among treatments. The findings revealed that plants treated with inorganic fertilizer (NPK) exhibited the highest initial growth rate and yield, attributed to the rapid availability of essential nutrients. However, poultry dung-treated plants demonstrated sustained growth over time due to improved soil structure and microbial activity. The combination of poultry dung and NPK resulted in optimal growth performance, indicating a complementary effect of organic and inorganic fertilizers