Sweetpotato (Ipomoea batatas L.) Response To Integrated Nutrient Management In Umudike, Nigeria

ABSTRACT                                                    

Two field trials were conducted in 2019 and 2020 cropping seasonsat National Root Crops Research Institute, Umudike, Nigeria to determine sweetpotato response to integrated nutrient management. The experiments were laid out ina randonzied complete block design and replicated three times. The treatments comprisedof eight (8) different combinations of organic and inorganic manures[Integtared nutrient management (INM)] with zeroapplication as control. The results indicated that the application of INM in the form of NPK + poultry manure significantly increased growth and fresh storage root yield of sweetpotato compared to other INM treatments studied.In 2019 and 2020 cropping seasons,the application of NPK+PM compared to the other treatments gave the highest fresh storage root yield (19.44 t/ha) and (22.52t/ha) in 2019 and 2020, respectively.Proximate analysis of the sweetpotato roots indicated strong variations amongst the INM treatments studied. The resultsfrom the combined analysis indicated that NPK+PM x year 2020 significantly gave the highest fresh storage root yield. The economic productivity showed that highest gross monetary returns, net retruns and benefit-cost-ratio were recorded under NPK+PM application compared to other treatments. The findingsof the study can be appliedin the management of nutrient status and fertility of the soil for sustainable production of sweetpotato in Umudike and related agro-ecosytems in Nigeria.