Abstract:
Agricultural productivity
and sustainable crop management are
pivotal aspects of global food security
and economic stability. The quest for
efficient and environmentally friendly
practices in crop production has led to a
surge in research exploring the utilisation
of organic materials alongside
conventional fertilisers to enhance crop
growth and yield. An experiment was
conducted over a growing period of three
months, starting in August 2023 at the
research field of Kwame Nkrumah
University of Science and Technology,
Kumasi-Ghana, to investigate the effects
of Albizia zygia leafy biomass in
combination with NPK fertiliser on the
growth and yield of sweet pepper
(Capsicum annum L.). A randomised
complete block design was employed
with four treatment groups replicated four
times, including various combinations of
A. zygia leafy biomass and NPK fertiliser,
alongside control groups of sole fertiliser
application and untreated plots (T1). The
treatments were as follows: T1 = No
biomass, no NPK (control); T2 = 0.5348
kg of A. zygia leafy biomass per 4.86 m2
(1100.5 kg/ha of A. zygia leafy biomass);
T3 = 0.2463 kg of NPK per 4.86 m2
(506.7 kg/ha of NPK); and T4 = 0.2674
kg of A. zygia leafy biomass per 4.86 m2
+ 0.1231 kg of NPK (550.3 kg/ha of A.
zygia leafy biomass + 253.4 kg/ha of
NPK). The assessed parameters were
plant height, number of leaves, number of
branches, fruit yield and fresh fruit
weight. Significant variations (p ˂ 0.05) were observed in the growth parameters
(plant height, number of leaves, number
of branches) and yield attributes (fruit
yield and fresh fruit weight) of sweet
pepper among the treatments. The
combined application of A. zygia leafy
biomass and NPK fertiliser (T4)
exhibited increased effects on plant
height, number of leaves, number of
branches, fruit yield and fresh fruit
weight compared to individual treatments
and control groups (p ˂ 0.05). Notably,
the treatment combining A. zygia leafy
biomass and NPK fertiliser (T4)
demonstrated a substantial increase in
plant height (44.58 cm), a significant
improvement in the number of leaves
(42.98) and a remarkable enhancement in
the number of branches (11.33) compared
to the sole applications and the control
group. Furthermore, the combined
treatment significantly increased (p ˂
0.05) the yield parameters, including fruit
yield and fresh fruit weight per hectare,
showcasing an increase of 8796/ha and
23.91 t/ha, respectively, compared to sole
fertiliser application and the control. The
findings from this study demonstrated
that the incorporation of A. zygia leafy
biomass, either solely or in combination
with NPK fertiliser, positively impacted
the growth and yield of sweet pepper
plants. These results highlight the
potential of A. zygia leafy biomass as a
valuable organic amendment for
sustainable and enhanced crop
production, offering promising
implications for agricultural practices
aimed at improving yield and plant
growth.
