EFFECTS OF SOLE AND AMENDED PLANT RESIDUES ON SEED NUTRIENTS CONTENT AND GROWTH OF AMARANTHUS (Amaranthus viridis L.)

A study was conducted in southwest Nigeria on the effect of woodash, sawdust, ground cocoahusk, spentgrain and ricebran, used ordinarily or amended with goat, pig and poultry manure on seed nutrients contents and growth parameters of amaranthus (Amaranthus viridis L.).  Twenty organic fertilizer treatments were compared to the control (no treatment) and 4000kg/ha NPK fertilizer.  Application of 6t/ha plant residues to soil increased seed N,  P, K, Ca and Mg  contents, and plant height, leaf area and root growth.  Spentgrain, woodash and cocoahusk gave higher values of seed N and growth parameters.  NPK fertilizer gave better value of plant height compared with the plant residues, but spentgrain gave better leaf area compared to NPK fertilizer.  The residues significantly increased seed Ca and Mg contents unlike in case of Fertilizer.  Amendment of plant residues with animal manure increased their effect on growth of amaranthus.  The seed N, P, and Ca content growth of amaranthus increased with addition of plant resides.