Fertilizing Potential of Basalt and Granite Fines for Vigna Unguiculata Production and Residual Effect on Telfaira Occidentalis Perfomance in the Cameroon Western Highlands

Primus Azinwi Tamfuh; Bienvenu Achille Ibrahim; Asafor Henry Chotangui; Gilbert Chou Cham; Lizette Wirba Ngonjang; Hassan Yap Mfouapon; Evariste Désiré Moundjeu; Veronique Kamgang Kabeyene; Dieudonné Bitom

Primus Azinwi Tamfuh Department of Soil Science, Faculty of Agronomy and Agricultural Sciences, University of Dschang, Cameroon
Bienvenu Achille Ibrahim
Asafor Henry Chotangui
Gilbert Chou Cham
Lizette Wirba Ngonjang
Hassan Yap Mfouapon
Evariste Désiré Moundjeu
Veronique Kamgang Kabeyene
Dieudonné Bitom

Keywords: Basalt fines, Granite fines, Remineralisation, Vigna unguilata, Telfairia occidentalis, Cameroun Western Highlands

Abstract

Chemical fertilizers have deleterious effects to the environment and human health as well as short-term effect in soils, and thus necessitating regular replenishment to ensure sustainable crop production. The aim of the present work was to study the initial fertilizing potential of basalt and granite fines on yard long green beans (Vigna unguiculata L.) production as well as their residual effect on fluted pumpkins (Telfairia occidentalis Hook. F). The experimental design in the field was a split-plot with three replications and five treatments per rock type: T0 (0 t/ha), BT1(basalt fines at 5 t/ha), BT2 (basalt fines at 10 t/ha), BT3 (basalt fines at 15 t/ha), BT4 (basalt fines at 20 t/ha), GT1 (granite fines at 5t/ha), GT2 (granite fines at 10 t/ha), GT3 (granite fines at 15 t/ha), GT4 (granite fines at 20 t/ha) and T5 (NPK at 5 t/ha). The factors considered were: fertilizer type (main factor) with two modalities (Basalt and granite rock fines) and fertilizer doses (secondary factor). The main results revealed that treatments with basalt fines increased the soil pH from 5.5 to 6.1, 6.2, 6.4 and 6.4 for BT2, BT3, BT4 and BT4, respectively, but reduced for treatments with granite after the harvest of 2^nd crop. Yield trend for the residual effect was: GT1 > GT2 > T0 > GT3 > BT2 >BT4 >T5 >GT4 > BT1 > BT3. The treatments with granite at 5t/ha, 10t/ha, 15t/ha and 20t/ha can be recommended as they were beneficial with benefit-to-cost ratios greater than 2 for cummulative first and second crop. For the profitability of the second crop ( fluted pumpkins), GT1 and GT2 produced positive residual effect compared to all other treatments. Hence, granite at 5t/ha, with a positive residual effect, can be recommended for the production of fluted pumpkins (Telfaira occidentalis) in order to have additional profit by farmers.

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