GROWTH AND YIELD OF PLANTAIN AS INFLUENCED BY THE APPLICATION OF ORGANICE QND MINERAL FERTILIZER

A study was conducted at the experimental plots of National Horticultural Research Institute, Ibadan Nigeria to study the effects of combined use of organic manure and inorganic fertilizers on the growth and yield of false horn plantain v. Agbagba. The treatments consisted of 0, 20 tons/ha poultry manure; 20 ton/ha poultry manure + 150kg NPK 15 – 15 – 15/ha; 300kg NPK 15 – 15 – 15/ha and 150kg 15 – 15 – 15/ha. The treatments did not significantly influence the growth and yield of plantain. However application of 20 ton/ha poultry manure + 150kg NPK 15 – 15 – 15 /ha gave the optimum bunch manure and inorganic fertilizer improved the yield of plantain over NPK fertilizer or poultry manure alone and therefore more beneficial to the production of plantain especially in degraded soils.