THE EFFECT OF POULTRY MANURE APPLICATION RATES ON THE GROWTH AND YIELD OF OKRA (A CASE STUDY OF OKRA FARMERS IN GWAGWALADA AREA COUNCIL, FCT)

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background of the Study

Okra (Abelmoschus esculentus L. Moench) belongs to the family Malvaceae and is one of the most common fruit vegetables in Nigeria. The immature pods are cooked fresh or dried and are valued in soups and sauces for their mucilage, and they supply fibre, vitamins and minerals. Okra matures quickly and can be harvested repeatedly over several weeks, so it provides regular small incomes to farmers who sell in local markets.

Okra is produced largely under rainfed conditions in sub-Saharan Africa, and Obi et al. (2024) note that rainfed okra is exposed either to drought or to excessive wetness. Alongside water, soil fertility is a key limit on yield. Many tropical soils are low in organic matter and nutrients, so growth, flowering and pod production respond readily to added fertilizer. Since mineral fertilizers are expensive, many smallholders use animal manures, of which poultry manure is among the most popular because it is widely available from poultry farms and is relatively rich in nitrogen, phosphorus and potassium.

Animal manures differ in composition and in their effects on soil, as Bhunia et al. (2021) show in their review of animal-derived organic fertilizers and their effects on the biology and fertility of soil. The rate at which manure is applied is also critical. Too little supplies insufficient nutrients, while too much is wasteful, can cause nutrient imbalance and may increase disease problems. The right rate depends on the nutrient content of the manure, the soil, the variety and the season.

Nigerian trials show how okra responds to poultry manure rates. Iwuagwu et al. (2022) applied poultry manure at 4, 8 and 12 t/ha to two okra varieties at Adazi-Nnukwu in Anambra State. They found significant effects of manure rate on growth: the tallest plants (65.69 cm) were obtained with the improved variety Clemson spineless at 12 t/ha, and the highest fruit weight and yield (1.414 t/ha) came from the local variety at 12 t/ha, although the manure rates did not significantly affect disease incidence and severity. Poultry manure has also performed well on related crops: Hassan et al. (2024) found that a mixture of 33% NPK and 67% poultry manure gave the best growth and yield of bell pepper, Adewusi (2024) found that poultry manure ranked second to NPK in tomato growth and yield, and Osadebe et al. (2025) included poultry manure at 20 t/ha in a trial on bell pepper in Nsukka.

These studies show that poultry manure can improve vegetable growth and yield, but the best rate varies and has mostly been established on research plots, with rates stated in tonnes per hectare. Farmers, by contrast, often measure manure by the basin, bag or heap, and they judge the results by their own observation. How much poultry manure farmers actually apply and what they observe in terms of growth and yield are questions that experiments do not answer.

Gwagwalada Area Council is in the Federal Capital Territory, where okra is grown by smallholders who supply the Abuja market. This study therefore used a structured questionnaire to examine the poultry manure application rates used by okra farmers in the area and their perceived effects on the growth and yield of okra.

1.2 Statement of the Problem

Okra farmers in Gwagwalada Area Council use poultry manure as a source of nutrients, but the amounts they apply differ widely and are usually decided by availability, cost and personal experience rather than recommendation. Experimental evidence shows that manure rate affects the growth and yield of okra (Iwuagwu et al., 2022), but it is not clear what rates farmers in Gwagwalada use or what effects they perceive.

The studies reviewed here were conducted in other parts of Nigeria, on research farms, and in some cases on related crops (Adewusi, 2024; Hassan et al., 2024; Iwuagwu et al., 2022; Osadebe et al., 2025). The literature consulted for this study did not reveal a survey of poultry manure application rates and perceived effects among okra farmers in Gwagwalada Area Council. Because the response of a crop to manure depends on soil and management, results from elsewhere cannot be assumed to hold in the area.

As a result, farmers may be applying too little manure, so that yields are low, or too much, which wastes manure and money and may encourage disease. Extension agents likewise lack local information on which to base advice. This study was undertaken to provide it.

1.3 Objectives of the Study

The main objective of the study was to assess the effect of different poultry manure application rates on the growth and yield of okra among farmers in Gwagwalada Area Council, FCT, using a structured questionnaire. The specific objectives, each of which corresponds to a section of the questionnaire, were to:

(i) describe the socio-economic characteristics of the respondents, namely age, sex, educational level, farming experience, farm size and source of labour

(ii) identify the poultry manure application rates and methods of application currently used by the respondents in the production of okra

(iii) ascertain the respondents' perception of the effect of different poultry manure application rates on the growth of okra ;

(iv) ascertain the respondents' perception of the effect of different poultry manure application rates on the yield of okra

(v) identify the constraints faced by the respondents in the use of different poultry manure application rates and the measures they suggest for improvement .

1.4 Research Questions

The following research questions, which correspond to the sections of the questionnaire, guided the study:

(i) What are the socio-economic characteristics of the respondents?

(ii) What poultry manure application rates and methods of application do the respondents use in the production of okra?

(iii) How do the respondents perceive the effect of different poultry manure application rates on the growth of okra?

(iv) How do the respondents perceive the effect of different poultry manure application rates on the yield of okra?

(v) What constraints do the respondents face in the use of different poultry manure application rates, and what improvements do they suggest?

1.5 Research Hypotheses

The following null hypotheses were tested at the 0.05 level of significance:

H01: There is no significant relationship between the socio-economic characteristics of the respondents and their poultry manure application rate.

H02: There is no significant difference in the perceived growth of okra among respondents who differ in their poultry manure application rate.

H03: There is no significant difference in the perceived yield of okra among respondents who differ in their poultry manure application rate.

1.6 Significance of the Study

The findings will give okra farmers in Gwagwalada information on the manure rates used by their peers and the rates they perceive to give better growth and yield, which may help them use manure more efficiently. Extension agents will have local information for advice, and poultry farmers may benefit from a clearer picture of demand for manure.

The study will also add to the literature on organic vegetable production in the Federal Capital Territory.

1.7 Scope and Limitations of the Study

The study covers okra farmers in Gwagwalada Area Council, FCT. It is limited to poultry manure application rates and covers the respondents' socio-economic characteristics, manure practices, perceived effects on growth and yield, and constraints. It does not include laboratory analysis of manure or controlled field measurement of yield.

Limitations include reliance on respondents' recall and perception, the difficulty some farmers have in converting local measures of manure into standard rates, and the limited number of respondents who could be reached. The findings should be applied with care outside the study area.

1.8 Definition of Terms

Poultry manure: droppings from poultry, with or without litter, used as an organic fertilizer.

Application rate: the quantity of manure applied per unit area or per plant.

Growth: the visible development of the okra plant, such as height, leaf number and vigour, as perceived by farmers.

Yield: the quantity of okra pods harvested per unit area.

Area Council: the local government unit of the Federal Capital Territory.

Questionnaire: a structured set of written questions used to collect information from respondents.

REFERENCES

Adewusi, O. F. (2024). Comparative effect of organic and inorganic fertilizer on growth and yield of tomato genotypes, Lycopersicon esculentum (Mill.). FUDMA Journal of Sciences, 8(6), 343–348. https://doi.org/10.33003/fjs-2024-0806-3116

Bhunia, S., Bhowmik, A., Mallick, R., & Mukherjee, J. (2021). Agronomic efficiency of animal-derived organic fertilizers and their effects on biology and fertility of soil: A review. Agronomy, 11(5), 823. https://doi.org/10.3390/agronomy11050823

Hassan, O. A., Ajayi, E. O., & Babatola, L. A. (2024). Growth and yield of bell pepper as influenced by combination of poultry manure and NPK fertilizer. Technology in Horticulture, 4, Article e010. https://doi.org/10.48130/tihort-0024-0007

Iwuagwu, C. C., Obiekezie, I. C., Obidiebube, E. A., Iheaturu, D. E., Okolie, H., Obasi, C. C., & Ejiofor, M. E. (2022). Growth, yield and disease response of two okra (Abelmoschus esculentus L.) varieties to poultry manure rates in Adazi-Nnukwu, Southeast Nigeria. International Journal of Agriculture, Food and Biodiversity, 1(1), 43–51. https://journals.unizik.edu.ng/ijafab/article/view/1396

Obi, J. O., Onah, C. J., Nnadi, A. L., Osadebe, V. O., Akubue, J. C., Amuji, C. F., & Obalum, S. E. (2024). Sensitivity of rainfed okra (Abelmoschus esculentus L. Moench) to mulch material and plant spacing in drought-prone tropical soils. Agroindustrial Science, 14(2), 97–106. https://doi.org/10.17268/agroind.sci.2024.02.02

Osadebe, V. O., Amuji, C. F., Dauda, N., Ukwu, U. N., Unagwu, B. O., Uzoigwe, A. D., & Nwoja, A. A. (2025). Effects of weed control practices and fertilizer types on the growth and yield of bell pepper (Capsicum annum L.) in Nsukka, Nigeria. Journal of Agricultural Extension, 29(3), 57–67. https://doi.org/10.4314/jae.v29i3.6