EFFECTS OF MINERO-ORGANIC FERTILIZER AND WEED CONTROL METHODS ON THE PERFORMANCE OF SWEET POTATO (IPOMOEA BATATAS) VARIETIES

Abstract

A field trial was conducted during the wet seasons of 2019 and 2020 at the Research farm of the Faculty of Agriculture, Kaduna State University.  The investigation was carried out in order to determine the effects of minero-organic fertilizer (MOF) and weed control methods on the growth, yield and yield components of two sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas L.) varieties. The treatments consisted of three levels of minero-organic fertilizer (0, 500 and 1000kg ha^-1), three weed control methods (Metolachlor 290g/l + Atrazine 370g/l at 1.5kg a.i ha ^-1, manual weeding and a weedy check) and sweet potato varieties. The treatments were laid in a randomized complete block design and replicated three times. MOF at 1000kg ha^-1, Primextra at 1.5kg a.i ha^-1 and UMUSPO 1 gave the highest yield; 36.60, 37.67 and 31.92t ha^-1 respectively. Of the 28 weed species identified in 2019, broad leaf and grasses constituted 68.70 and 31.3 %, whereas in 2020, broad leaf was 62.0 and grasses 38.0% respectively. The findings in this trial revealed that the combination of MOF at 1000kg ha^-1, Primextra at 1.5kg a.i ha^-1 and UMUSPO 1, could be used during the cultivation of sweet potato in this region.