Research article

Opinion of farmers and the effects of inorganic fertilizer on soil characteristics and production of egg plant (solanum melongena l.) in Warawa area of Kano state

^*1Lawan S.A, ¹Aminu Y, ¹Naziru AB, ²Muazu J and ³Shehu Y

¹Department of Biological Sciences, College of Arts, Sciences and Remedial Studies, Kano

²Department of Geography, College of Arts, Sciences and Remedial Studies, Kano

³Department of Geography, Federal College of Education, Kano

*Corresponding author E- mail: lawansaniahmed@yahoo.com

Accepted 28 December 2013

Abstract

The research was conducted to evaluate the effects of cultural practices on the cultivation and productivity of Solanum melongena in Warawa local government area of Kano State. The research was conducted by designing a questionnaire and distributed to 250 respondents within the study area. The response from the questionnaire indicates that fifty percent of the respondents applied the fertilizer five and or more times during field operation of the eggplant. The quantity of inorganic fertilizer applied differ at each time of application with an increase in quantity from first application as a result of which solidity effect occur which leads to low productivity in the area. The finding of the cultivation shows that, at 0/15kg level of inorganic fertilizer, highest number of leaves, leaf area, shoot height, number and length of branch as well as number of fruits was observed at farmers, site while at experimental site 0.05kg and 0.10kg had the highest. Therefore farmers of Warawa area should maintain 0.15kg level of inorganic fertilizer in order to counteract the problems associated with the cultivation of eggplant in their area.

Keywords: cultural practices, Solanum melongena, cultivation, productivity, Warawa local government