Department of Crop Science and Technology, Federal University of Technology, Owerri, Nigeria
Ihejirika, G.O., Department of Crop Science and Technology, Federal University of Technology, Owerri, Nigeria
Two field experiments were carried out during the early seasons of 2000 and 2001, to examine the effect of organic manure applied as zero manure, green manure and fowl droppings respectively and plant densities of 1,000,000; 250,000; 111,111 and 62,500 plants ha-1, respectively in 2000 and 2001, respectively on pod rot, nodulation and 1000-seed weight of groundnut. The result showed that manure and plant density were highly significant (p<0.01) on pod rot, nodulation and 1000-seed weight in 2000 and 2001, respectively. Organic manure significantly reduced pod rot 4.31 and 4.47 in 2000 and 2001, respectively. Fowl dropping reduced severity of pod rot 3.10; 3.02 in comparison with green manure 4.72; 4.86 when zero manure (no-treatment) 5.10; 5.54 in 2000 and 2001, respectively were high. Two hundred and fifty thousand plants ha -1 recorded least severity of pod rot 3.00; 2.77 while 1,000,000 plants ha-1 4.95; 4.50 were high in 2000 and 2001, respectively. Organic manure were highly significant on nodulation 9.60; 9.48 in 2000 and 2001, respectively with fowl dropping 15.10; 14.75 recording highest, when zero-manure (control) 10.84; 11.16 nodulation per plant were low in 2000 and 2001, respectively. Organic manure and plant density were highly significant (p<0.01) on 1000-seed weight with organic manure 641.1; 642.9 and plant density 812.2; 799.2 in 2000 and 2001, respectively. Fowl dropping recorded highest 1000-seed weight 672.5; 680.0 as well as 250,000 plants ha-1 895.5; 863.4 while 1,000,000 plants ha-1 recorded the lowest 1000-seed weight 752.0; 785.0 in 2000 and 2001, respectively. © 2007 Academic Journals Inc.