EFFECT OF NPK 20:10:10 FERTILIZER AND NPK 15:15:15 FERTILIZER OBTAINED FROM OTOR MARKET ON THE GROWTH AND YIELD OF ARACHIS HYPOGAEA (GROUNDNUT)

ABSTRACT The study on the effect of NPK 20:10:10 fertilizer and NPK 15:15:15 fertilizer obtained from Otor Market on the growth and yield of Arachis hypogaea was conducted at the Akwa Ibom State Polytechnic Botanical Garden. 3 beds each were made and 4 seeds of Arachis hypogaea were planted with not less than 10 stands making a total of 30 stands. The following treatment were applied on each of the beds as follows: bed 1 was NPK 20:10:10 fertilizer, bed 2 was NPK 15:15:15 and bed 3 was control. After two weeks of germination, these treatments were applied exception of control bed. The result of the parameter for mean height of plant was highest in NPK 15:15:15 fertilizer with mean value of 75.44+2.157 cm, followed by NPK 20:10:10 with mean value of 57.71+4.388 cm and the least was the control (without fertilizer) with mean value of 54.97+1.366 cm. Data analysis shows significant difference at (p0.05). The parameter for the yield of plant showed that NPK 15:15:15 fertilizer had the highest yield value of 35, followed by NPK 20:10:10 fertilizer with yield value of 20 and the least was the control with yield value of 12. The result indicates that NPK 15:15:15 fertilizer and NPK 20:10:10 enhance the growth parameters and yield of Arachis hypogaea and thus should be used in the cultivation of the plant but caution should be applied since these fertilizers are known to cause environmental contamination.