Effect of different rates of poultry manure on the growth and yield of sweet corn (Zea mays sacharata)

Trials were conducted in 2010 and 2011 cropping seasons at the teaching and research farm of Ibrahim Badamasi Babangida University, Lapai to evaluate the effect of different rates of poultry manure on the growth and yield of sweet corn. The experiment consisted of two varieties of sweet corn viz; white and yellow and four levels of poultry manure viz; 0, 5, 10, and 15 tones ha⁻¹. Compound fertilizer NPK (15:15:15) was applied at the rate 100 kg N ha⁻¹ and 50 kg ha⁻¹ each of P and K as check. The result showed that yellow sweet corn significantly produced more leaves at 12 weeks after planting (WAP) compared with white sweet corn. However, the white sweet corn had significantly higher number of cobs, fresh and dry weight of cobs and grain yield (1.6 t ha⁻¹) compared with yellow sweet corn. The effects of inorganic fertilizer and poultry manure at 15 t ha⁻¹ on the performance of the two varieties of sweet corn were statistically the same.