Akongte et al Greener Journal of Agricultural Sciences Vol. 9(2), pp. 171-179, 2019 ISSN: 2276-7770 Copyright ©2019, the copyright of this article is retained by the author(s) DOI Link: http://doi.org/10.15580/GJAS.2019.2.032619051 https://gjournals.org/GJAS Comparing the use of a Dual-purpose Biofertilizer (‘Njoku’) and an Inorganic Fertilizer on Plantain (Musa sp.) Growth and Infestation in the Nursery Akongte Peter Njukang1, Ojong Agbor Ntane1, Sally Alloh Sumbele1, Njukeng Jetro Nkengafac1, Lawrence Tatanah Nanganoa2, Nambangia Justin Okolle1,3 1 Laboratory of Entomology and Nematology, Institute of Agricultural Research for Development (IRAD), Ekona, South West Region, Cameroon 2 Soil, Water and Plant Analytical Laboratory, Institute of Agricultural Research for Development (IRAD), Ekona, PMB 25 Buea, South West Region, Cameroon 3African Research Centre on Bananas and Plantains (CARBAP) Antenna, Ekona, South West, Region, Cameroon Emails: akongtepeter@ yahoo.com, klexiojong@ yahoo.com, sallysums@ yahoo.com, jnkengafac@ yahoo.com, tatanah2002@ yahoo.fr, okollejustin@ yahoo.com ARTICLE INFO ABSTRACT Article No.: 032619051 Type: Research DOI: 10.15580/GJAS.2019.2.032619051 Background: Plantain is an important staple in Cameroon as they help ensure food security and generate revenue. A major constraint faced by farmers is managing plantains in the nursery and obtaining high quality planting materials. Methods: A study was carried out to compare the effects of a locally made biofertilizer – ‘Njoku’ with pesticide properties, foliar fertilizers and a synthetic inorganic fertilizer on plantain growth and infestation in the nursery. A randomized complete block design of six treatments with four replications was used. The treatments (T) per plant were as follows; T1 = Control (no application), T2 = 5g of biofertilizer (Njoku), T3 = Inorganic NPK (20-10-10), T4 = 2.5g of Counter® (terbufos) + 2.5g of NPK (20-10-10), T5 = 50ml of Radix Tim® solution + 2.5g of biofertilizer and T6 = 100ml of Radix Tim® solution. Results: The vegetative growth parameters (Plant height, leaf number, leaf area, and collar girth) of the fertilized plants were significantly higher as compared to the control plants. The highest mean plant heights were recorded in T4 (21.88cm) and T5 (21.5cm) while the least mean plant height was from T1 (9.82cm). The highest mean leaf area of 289.12cm2 and 282.37cm2 were recorded respectively from T5 and T6. T4, T5 and T6 had the same mean number of leaves (4 leaves) while T2 and T3 had mean number of leaves of 3. The highest mean collar girth of 5.6cm and 5.5cm was recorded in T5 and T6 respectively and the mean collar girth for T2, T3, T4, T5 and T6 never differed significantly. T2 harboured many types of pests but recorded the least mean number of pests while T4 harboured the highest number of snails followed by T6 and T1. Conclusions: Due to the high cost and potential environmental hazards posed by synthetic chemicals, T5 (a combination of reduced doses of the biofertilizer and Radix Tim®) is most suitable for the growth and maintenance of plantain plantlets in the nursery. Submitted: 26/03/2019 Accepted: 30/03/2019 Published: 16/05/2019 *Corresponding Author Justin Okolle E-mail-okollejustin@yahoo.com Phone: +237674534786 Keywords: Bioferticide; Foliar fertilizer; Musa spp; NPK; Nursery; Pests Return to Content View [Full Article – PDF] [Full Article – HTML] [Full Article – EPUB] Post-Publication Peer-review Rundown View/get involved, click [Peer-review] REFERENCES Abuno M.N. (2014). Evaluation of the yield and infestation effects of Thitonia diversifolia and oil palm bunch residue ash incorporated in the cultural control of Cylas puncticollis in Fako Division, South West, Cameroon. M.Sc thesis submitted to the Department of of Botany and Plants Physiology, University of Buea. Adejoro, M.A., Odubanjo, A.O. and Fagbola, B.O. (2008). Research focus on banana and plantain (Musa spp): Nigerian Perspectives: Proceedings of International Conference on Banana and Plantain in Africa. Eds: T, Dubois et al., Acta Hort. 879, ISHS 2010.p. 859-864. Azam, M., Tara, J.S., Ayri, S., Feroz, M. and Ramamurthy, V.V. (2010). Bionomics of Odoiporus longicollis Olivier (Coleoptera: Rhynchophoridae) on banana plant (Musa paradisiacal). Mun. Ent. Zool. 5(2):628-635. Baiyeri K.P. and Tenkouano A. (2007). Manure placement influenced growth and dry matter yield of a plantain hybrid. African Crop Science Conference Proceedings 8: 385-390. El Moniem, E.A.A., Abd-Allah, A.S.E. and Ahmed, M.A. (2008). The combined effect of some organic manures, mineral N fertilizers and algal cells extract on yield and fruit quality of Williams banana plants. Am-Euras. J. Agric. Environ. Sci. 4:417-426 Emilia, B.A. and Lilia, O.S. (2013). Growth and yield of Banana var. Lakatan as influenced by Azospirillum spp. Inoculation and Vermicompost. International Scientific research Journal, volume 3, ISSN 2094- 1749. FAO (2011). Production commodity by country; FAOSTAT Data. (Accessed on 10/03/2001) http: //faostat.org/site/339/default.aspx. Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nation, Rome. FAO (2018). Production commodity by country; FAOSTAT Data. (Accessed on 11/11/2018) http: //faostat.org/site/339/default.aspx. Food and Agriculture Organisation of the United Nation, Rome. Guantilleke, C.V.S., Guantilleke, G.A.D., Perera, D.F.R.P., Burslem, P.M.S., Ashton, P.S. (1997). Responses to nutrient addition among seedlings of eight closely related species of Shorea in Sri Lanka. J. Ecol., 85: 301-311. Hauser, S. and Amougou, D. (2008). Plantain (Musa spp.) cropping systems of Southern Cameroon: Proceedings of International Conference on Banana and Plantain in Africa. Eds: T, Dubois et al., Acta Hort. 879, ISHS 2010. p. 495-508. Hegde, D. and Srinivas, K. (1991). Growth, yield, nutrient uptake and water use of banana crops under drip and basin irrigation with N and K fertilization. Trop. Agric. (Trinidad) 68: 331-334. Honfo, F.G., Tenkouano, A. and Coulibaly, O. (2011). Banana and Plantain – based foods consumption by children and mothers in Cameroon and Southern Nigeria: A comparative study. African Journal of Food Science. 5(5):287-291. Hu, J.S., Wang, M., Sether, D., Xie, W. and Leonhardt, K.W. (1996). Use of polymerase chain reaction (PCR) to study transmission of banana bunchy top virus by the banana aphid (Pentalonia nigronervosa). Ann. Appl. Biol. 128: 55–64. Hussein, M.A. (1992). Studies on mineral nutrition of guava (Psidium guajava L. ) seedlings and trees under nursery and orchard conditions. M.Sc thesis, F. of Agr. U. of K., Sudan. Lahav, E. (1995). Banana Nutrition” In: Gowen S (ed). Banana and Plantains. Chapman and Hall, London. ISBN-9780412368707. pp. 258-316. Mongyieh ET, Ndamukong KJN & Okolle JN (2015). Effects of insecticides with different modes of action in the control of banana weevils (Cosmpolites sordidus) in Cameroon. Journal of the Cameroon Academy of Sciences, 12(1), 3-9 Nanganoa, L.T, Abuno, M.N. and Okolle, J.N. (2016). Chemical analysis of components of Njoku (a bioferticide). Poster presented during the PARI Annual meeting, 2016, Nairobi, Kenya. Obiefuna, J.C. and Ndubizu, T.O. (1979). Estimating leaf area of plantain. Sci. Hortic. 11: 31-36. Okolle, J.N., Fansi, G.H., Lombi, F.M., Sama- Lang, P. and Loubana, P.M. (2009). Banana Entomological Research in Cameroon: How Far and What Next? The African Journal of Plant Science and Biotechnology. 3(1):1-19. Okolle JN, Mumah ILK, Ngosong C, Nanganoa LT, Oumar D and Fongod AN (2018). Role of Combined Ash and Terbuphos as Preplanting Corm Treatment to Manage Corm Borer Weevils (Cosmopolites sordidus) on Plantains and Stimulate Growth. Journal of Experimental Agriculture International 22(3): 1-12, 2018; Article no.JEAI.39564 Olaoye, O.A., Onilude, A.A. and Idowu, O.A. (2006). Quality characteristics of bread produced from composite flours of wheat, plantain and soybeans. African Journal of Biotechnology. 15(11):1102- 1106. Pillary M. and Tripathi L. (2007). Banana Chapter 15. In Kole, C. (ed.) Genome mapping and molecular breeding in plants, Vol 4. Fruits and Nuts. Springer. Verlag, Berlin. 281-301 Pp. Pooter, H.C. (1990). Leaf area ratio net assimilation rate of 24 wild species differing in relative growth rate. J. Ecol., 18: 553-559. Saeed, I., Abbasi, M.K. and Kazmi, M. (2001). Response of maize to NPK fertilizer under agro-climatic conditions of Rawalakot Azad Jammu and Kashmir Pakistan, Journal Biological Sciences pp.4:949-952. Sahayaraj, K. and Kombiah, P. (2009). Olfactory responses of the banana weevil, Odoiporus longicollis (Olivier) (Coleoptera: Curculionidae) against pseudostem and its crude extract. Journal of Biopesticides. 2(2): 173 – 176. Soto-Ballestero, M. (2008). Bananos: técnicas de produción, poscosecha y comercialización (3nd ed., CD-ROM). San José, CR: Litografía e Imprenta Lil. Summerville WAT (1944). Studies on nutrition as qualified by development in Musa cavendish L. Queensl. J. Agric. Sci. 1:1-127. Temple, L., Bikoi, A. and Chataigner, J. (1997). La consummation de banana plantain au Cameroon. Les Cahiers de la recherche – developpement. Systems Agroalimentaires a Base de Racines, Tubercules et Plantains. 44:73-85. Thomas, A.O., Edwin, S.B. and Abidemi, F.O. (2012). Nutrient composition and contribution of plantain (Musa paradisiacea) products to dietary diversity of Nigerian consumers. African Journal of Biotechnology. 11(71):13601-13605. Tingwa, P.O. (1970). Studies on the effect of NPK fertilizers on the growth and yield of banana (Musa cavendish L.) under central Sudan conditions. M.Sc thesis, Faculty of Agr., Un. Of Khartoum, Sudan. Twyford, I.T. and Walmsley, D. (1973). The mineral composition of the Robusta banana plant. Plant Soil 39:227-243. Cite this Article: Akongte PN, Ntane OA, Sally AS, Nkengafac NJ, Nanganoa LT, Okolle NJ (2019). Comparing the use of a Dual-purpose Biofertilizer (‘Njoku’) and an Inorganic Fertilizer on Plantain (Musa sp.) Growth and Infestation in the Nursery. Greener Journal of Agricultural Sciences 9(2): 171-179, http://doi.org/10.15580/GJAS.2019.2.032619051.