A Comparative study on different application rates of inorganic fertilizer (Compound C) with organic foliar fertilizer (Humason Complex) in cabbages (brassica oleratiaL)
- Author
- Bangojena, Anesu N.
- Title
- A Comparative study on different application rates of inorganic fertilizer (Compound C) with organic foliar fertilizer (Humason Complex) in cabbages (brassica oleratiaL)
- Abstract
- The problem with over reliance on synthetic nutrients from inorganic fertilizers is that they cause soil degradation and nutrient imbalance due to soil acidification and soil salinization. While organic fertilizers does not create such problem. The main objective of the study was to compare the different application rates of inorganic fertilizers with foliar fertilizers on the growth and yield of cabbages. The study was carried out in Cleverhill, Bindura, during the 2025 summer farming season., The trial was laid out as a Randomized Complete Block Design with five treatments (0%, 15%, 25%, 50%, and 75% of recommended rates of inorganic fertilizer Compound C in combination with organic fertilizer (Humason Complex) and three replications. The data collected across all treatments was analyzed using Genstat software Seventeenth Edition. Results indicated that while initial number of leaves and leaf length showed no significant difference, a marked increase in the number of leaves and leaf length emerged from week four onwards, particularly in treatments with higher rates of Compound C combined with Humuson Complex. The final yield analysis revealed a significant difference across treatments (p<0.05) , with the highest yield recorded in the 75% Compound C treatment. This recommends that optimal combinations of inorganic and foliar fertilizers can enhance cabbage growth and yield, providing valuable understanding for sustainable agricultural practices as well as sustainable soil healthy improvement in Zimbabwe soils.
- Date
- June 2025
- Publisher
- BUSE
- Keywords
- Organic foliar fertilizers
- Cabbage production
- Soil fertility
- Supervisor
- Professor R. Mandumbu
- Item sets
- Department of Crop Sciences
