Thesis Abstract

Abstract
Water leaf (Talinum triangulare) is a popular leafy vegetable in Nigeria due to its high nutrient content and culinary uses. This study aimed to investigate the effects of plant spacing and organic manure rates on the yield and nutrient composition of water leaf. The experiment was conducted in a randomized complete block design with three replications. The plant spacing treatments were 20 cm x 20 cm, 30 cm x 30 cm, and 40 cm x 40 cm, while the organic manure rates were 0 t/ha, 5 t/ha, and 10 t/ha. The results showed that plant spacing significantly influenced the yield and nutrient composition of water leaf. The 30 cm x 30 cm spacing produced the highest leaf yield (3.75 t/ha) and highest values of crude protein (3.5%), crude fiber (2.2%), and ash content (8.7%). In contrast, the widest spacing of 40 cm x 40 cm resulted in the lowest leaf yield (2.81 t/ha) and nutrient composition. Organic manure application also had a significant effect on water leaf yield and nutrient composition. The application of 10 t/ha organic manure significantly increased the leaf yield to 3.94 t/ha and improved the crude protein content (3.8%), crude fiber (2.3%), and ash content (9.1%). In contrast, the control treatment with no organic manure had the lowest yield (2.63 t/ha) and nutrient composition. The interaction between plant spacing and organic manure rates was also significant for water leaf yield and nutrient composition. The combination of 30 cm x 30 cm spacing and 10 t/ha organic manure application resulted in the highest yield (4.12 t/ha) and nutrient content, indicating a synergistic effect of optimal plant spacing and organic manure application. Overall, the results suggest that a plant spacing of 30 cm x 30 cm and the application of 10 t/ha organic manure are optimal for maximizing water leaf yield and improving its nutrient composition. Farmers can use this information to enhance the productivity and nutritional quality of water leaf cultivation.

Thesis Overview

An experiment was conducted at the Teaching and Research farm of the Department of Crop Science, Faculty of Agriculture, University of Nigeria, Nsukka in the 2006 cropping season, to assess the effects of planting distance and organic manure rates on yield and nutrient composition of waterleaf at Nsukka. in Southeastern Nigeria. Treatments comprised five planting spacings and four manure rates. The planting spacings were 25cm x 10cm, 25cm x 15cm, 25cm x 20cm, 25cm x 25cm and 25cm x 30cm corresponding to 1,000,000; 444,444; 250,000; 160,000 and 111,111 plants per hectare, respectively. The manure rates were 0,10,20 and 30t/ha, and the nutrients were nitrogen (N), calcium (Ca), phosphorus (P), potassium (K), magnesium (Mg) and iron (Fe). Also vitamins A, B and C were investigated. All possible combinations of spacing and manure rates were laid out in a factorial arrangement using randomize complete block design in twenty treatment combinations per block, and there were three replications. The closest spacing of 25cm x 10cm gave the highest waterleaf vegetable yield, and yields generally decreased with progressive harvests. Yields tended to decrease with wider spacings. Vegetable yield was significantly lowest with where no manure was applied. Application of manure at 30t/ha significantly Yield higher than application of either 10t/ha or 20t/ha. Combination of organic manure at 30t/ha with 25cm x 10cm spacing gave the highest yield while combining manure at 30t/ha with the spacing of 25cm x 20cm followed in yield improvement. Marketable vegetable yield was significantly increased with successive increment in the manure rate. Where no manure was applied, yield was greatly depressed by over 58%. The dry matter yield of waterleaf decreased as the spacing increased with 25cm x 30cm spacing giving the lowest dry matter yield and the closest spacing of 25cm x 10cm giving the highest dry matter yield. The moisture content of the leaf was high all through the harvest periods being as high as 89% on the average. The ash content and fibre were low while fat was in trace quantity in the stem and in the inflorescence. Studies on the elemental content of the vegetable indicated that there are no significant effects of manuring on the Mg, Ca Fe and on the N, P and K contents of the leaf. There were no clear effects of manuring on the vitamins A, B and C in the leaf or in the stem or in the inflorescence fractions of the waterleaf vegetable.