ISSN 2756-3863
International Journal of Manures and Fertilizers Vol. 3 (7), pp. 558-560 July, 2014. © International Scholars Journals
Full Length Research Paper
Outcome of phosphorus fertilizer on tuber yields vegetative growth and phosphorus uptake of sweet potato (Ipomoea batatas)
Udoh Akinjoba
Department of Crop Science, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Uyo, Uyo state, Nigeria. Email:akinj@yahoo.com
Accepted 26 June, 2014
Abstract
A variety of sweet potato (Shaba) was studied for its vegetative growth, yield and phosphorus uptake under the influence of four different fertilizers using randomized complete block design (RCBD) in the experimental area of the University of Ibadan. Incubation study revealed that, single super phosphate was the best among them in phosphorus release despite that it favoured suppressed tuberous yield of the experimented plant. Sweet potato plots treated with crystallizer fertilizer at the rate of 445 kg/ha had the highest phosphorus uptake and vegetative growth while control plots produced plants with highest tuberous yield. It is therefore recommended that, crystallizer applied at the rate of 445 kg/ha should be used for significant phosphorous uptake which equally leads to better quality sweet potato tuber production and appreciable vegetative growth. Also, high tuberous yield in sweet potato can be achieved when the soil has low phosphorus level which is as low as 6.80 mg/kg.
Key words: Sweet potato, fertilizer treatment, incubation, phosphorus uptake, yield.