Performance of Three Varieties of Cucumber (Cucumis sativus) in Composted Rice Husks Plus Poultry Manure Media and the Effects on Soil Nutrient Status

A field trial was conducted to evaluate the effects of composted rice husks plus poultry manure rates on the soil chemical properties, morphological growth and yield of three varieties of cucumber (Cucumis sativus). The experiment was a 3 × 4 factorial laid out in a randomized complete block design (RCBD) with three replications. Twelve treatment combinations consisting of four rates (0 t ha -1, 5 t ha -1, 10 t ha -1 and 15 t ha-1) of composted rice husks + poultry manure (75%:25%, volume to volume; v/v) and three cucumber varieties (Poinsett, Marketer and Supermarketer) were laid out in the Teaching and Research Farm of Department of Crop Science, University of Nigeria, Nsukka. The highest application rate of 15 t ha-1 gave significantly (P = .05) the highest values of total nitrogen (1.36%), available phosphorus (80.36 ppm), organic carbon (4.10%), organic matter content (7.07%), exchangeable potassium (0.38 meq/100 g), exchangeable calcium (5.80 meq/100 g) and exchangeable magnesium (4.30 meq/100 g) compared with the other rates. There was highest correlation coefficient (r = .995**) between soil organic carbon and exchangeable calcium and the least between exchangeable potassium and magnesium (r = .473). The 15 t ha-1 of compost manure significantly (P = .05) also gave the highest values of plant height, stem girth, leaf area, number of leaves and yield in the three varieties of cucumber (Poinsett, Marketer and Supermarketer).