ABSTRACT
A field experiment was conducted at the crop pavilion, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Ilorin, Ilorin in the southern Guinea savannah ecology to determine the effect of NPK fertilizer application on the growth and yield of three cucumber varieties. The experiment was designed as a 3x5 factorial in RCBD, arranged in split-plots and replicated three times. The main plots consisted of three cucumber varieties (Marketer, Marketmore and Poinsett), while the sub-plots were made up of five levels (0, 25, 50, 75 and 100kgNha-1) of NPK fertilizer.Plant growth parameters (plant height, number of leaves/plant, number of branches per plant, leaf area per plant, number of male, female and total number of flowers) as well as yield characteristics (dry matter, fruit length, fruit circumference, number of fruits per plant and fruit fresh weight) were measured. Data were analyzed by the Analysis of Variance, using the split-plots model and significant means were separated by the Least Significant Difference at 5 percent probability level (LSD0.05). The results showed that the application of the NPK fertilizer appreciably improved the growth performances of cucumber, with 100kgNha-1 being the most outstanding rate while the yield characteristics were not improved with the application of NPK fertilizer. However, significant variety x fertilizer effects revealed that the application of 100kgNha-1 were best for the three varieties, suggesting indifferential nutrient requirements of cucumber varieties. Conclusively, the application of NPK fertilizer is beneficial for cucumber production and increasing the rate of application up to the highest level of 100 kg/ha gave the best results vegetatively.
TABLE OF CONTENTS
TITLE PAGEi
CERTIFICATIONii
DEDICATIONiii
ACKNOWLEDGEMENTSiv
ABSTRACTvi
TABLE OF CONTENTSviii
LIST OF TABLESxi
CHAPTER ONE:INTRODUCTION
1.1Introduction1
1.1.1Health benefits of cucumber2
1.1.2Skin benefits of cucumber3
1.1.3Cucumber benefits for hair4
1.2Statement of experimental problems5
1.3Justification for the study5
1.4 Objective of the study6
CHAPTER TWO:LITERATURE REVIEW
2.1 Background information7
2.2 Botanical taxonomy9
2.3 Nutritional health values9
2.4 Plant description10
2.4.1Rooting system10
2.4.2The shoot10
2.4.3Flower types11
2.4.4The fruit11
2.5Growth stages12
2.6Climatic requirements12
2.7Soil requirement14
2.8Effect of NPK fertilizer on cucumber growth and yield14
CHAPTER THREE:MATERIALS AND METHODS
3.1Description of experimental site19
3.2Description of the experimental design19
3.3Field preparation and experimental layout19
3.4Soil sampling and analysis20
3.5Planting of seeds20
3.6Agronomic management practices20
3.7Data collection21
3.8Data analyses22
CHAPTER FOUR:RESULTS
4.1Results of soil analysis23
4.2Effects of variety and fertilizer application on growth parameters of
cucumber plant24
4.2.1Effects on vine length24
4.2.2Effects on number of leaves per plant27
4.2.3Effects on leaf area per plant29
4.2.4Effects on the number of branches per plant31
4.2.5Effects on flowering traits of cucumber33
4.3Effects of variety and fertilizer application on yield and yield components
of cucumber35
4.3.1Effects on dry matter35
4.3.2Effects on Yield components and fruit yield38
CHAPTER FIVE:DISCUSSION
5.1Preamble40
5.2Effects of NPK fertilizer on growth parameters41
5.3Effects of NPK fertilizer on yield components and fruit yield42
5.4Varietal responses42
SUMMARY AND CONCLUSION43
REFERENCES45
LIST OF TABLES
Table 4.1: Physical and chemical properties of the soil on experimental site23
Table 4.2: Mean squares from the analysis of variance for vine length of cucumber25
Table 4.3: Main effects of variety and fertilizer application on the vine length of
cucumber.26
Table 4.4: Mean squares from the analysis of variance for number of leaves of cucumber27
Table 4.5: Main effects of variety and fertilizer application on the number of leaves of
cucumber.28
Table 4.6: Mean squares from the analysis of variance for leaf area of cucumber29
Table 4.7: Main effects of variety and fertilizer application on the leaf area of cucumber30
Table 4.8: Mean squares from the analysis of variance for number of branches of
cucumber.31
Table 4.9: Main effects of variety and fertilizer application on the number of branches of
cucumber.32
Table 4.10: Mean squares from the analysis of variance for the flowering traits of
cucumber.33
Table 4.11: Main effects of variety and fertilizer application on the flowering traits of
cucumber.34
Table 4.12: Mean squares from the analysis of variance for dry matter of cucumber36
Table 4.13: Main effects of variety and fertilizer application on the dry matter of
cucumber.37
Table 4.14: Mean squares from the analysis of variance for the yield components and
fruit yield of cucumber.38
Table 4.15: Main effects of variety and fertilizer application on the yield components and
fruit yield of cucumber.39