EFFECT OF DIGESTION OF COW DUNG ON THE PHYSICO-CHEMICAL AND GRAIN YIELD OF GROWN AMARANTH

Abstract

This study was carried out to determine the effect of digestion of cow dung on the physico-chemical and grain yield of grown amaranth (Amarranthus spinosus). A 200 kg of cow dung was divided into two equal parts; the first portion was digested with water in the ratio of 2:1 at 40°C for 21 days, while the second portion was left undigested. The digested and undigested manures were applied to the soil and mixed thoroughly two days before seedlings were transplanted. Amaranthus spinosus seedlings were raised and transplanted to seedbeds at a spacing of 10 cm by 20 cm and depth of 3cm, one seedling per hole. The seedlings were allowed to grow for two months before harvesting. At the end of the experiment, 20 matured plants were randomly selected. The leaves were prepared for analyses. Thereafter, the laboratory result was analyzed statistically using One Way ANOVA at (P5≤5) significant level. Proximate composition results were moisture 39.70% and 40.22%, ash 8.87 and 7.38%, crude fibre 13.73 and 12.48%, protein 14.55 and 12.22%, fat 4.45 and 3.91% and carbohydrate 18.71 and 23.79%; phytochemical constituents were alkaloid 7.57 and 6.78 mg/ 100g, saponin 8.89 and 8.43 mg/100g, flavonoid  9.05 and 7.67 mg/ 100g and tannin 2.59 and 1.90 mg/100g; the minerals were iron 0.08 and 0.07 mg/ 100g, potassium 8.96 and 4.88 mg/100g then, yield 59 and 50 kg/ha for digested and undigested cow dung grown A. spinosus respectively. High amounts of phytochemicals, minerals and proximate composition recorded in this research gives preference to the use of biogas slurry in growing of garden than undigested cow dung. The results of this study further encourage the use of biogas slurry in growing A. spinosus for better nutritional quality.