Effects of Organo-mineral Fertilizer Application on the Growth and Yield of ‘Egusi’ Melon

The growth and yield of Egusi melon in response to application of an Organo-mineral fertilizer was investigated. The Organo-mineral fertilizer was Cow-dung generated from an Abattoir fortified with inorganic Nitrogen. The fertilizer had a pH of 6.1; 61.2 g kg Organic Matter; 35.5 g kg -1 -1 Organic Carbon; 3.6g kg Nitrogen; 372.54 mg kg Available Phosphorus and 14.8cmol kg -1 -1 -1 Exchangeable Potassium. It was applied at 0, 1.0, 2.0, 3.0 and 4.0 tons ha . Fertilizer application level -1 increased the vine length and the leaf area, although not significantly. At 8 weeks after planting (WAP), application of 3.0 tons ha gave the longest vine lengths about 241cm long and an average leaf area of -1 99cm , which were not significantly higher than 223cm long vine length, and 84cm average leaf area 2 2 got from plants treated with 4 tons ha The control treatment had vines 215cm long and an average leaf . area of 73cm . Average number of leaves per plant was however significantly affected. At 2W AP, the 2 control treatment had about 39 leaves per plant when application of 4.0 tons ha had the highest of 68 -1 leaves per plant. This increased to 132 and 280 leaves per plant, respectively at 8WAP.Melon seed yield was only significantly higher with an application rate of 4 tons ha which gave a yield of 812 kg ha . -1 -1 Lower application rates gave comparable yields as the control treatment that gave a yield of 347 kg ha . -1