International Journal of Horticulture, 2016, Vol.6, No.22, 1-14
13
quality differed among the varieties and manure types. In particular N, P, K, Ca, Mg, moisture content, crude fibre,
ash and vitamin C contents of tested varieties were highly enhanced. In the rainy season, NPK enhanced the
contents of N, P, K, moisture, total solids and vitamin C in most of the varieties except in Anderson. In the same
vein, organo-mineral fertilizer (OMF) produced increases in N, Ca, Mg and crude fibre in Anderson, P content in
Kaolac, N and % crude fibre in Sugarbaby and vitamin C only in Charleston Grey. NPK application in late season
enhances the nutritional (total solid content in particular) in Sugarbaby and Anderson. OMF application also
enhanced fruit contents of P, Ca, crude fibre and vitamin C, and total solids in some of the tested varieties. Among
the tested varieties Kaolac, Anderson and Sugarbaby will perform well as both rainy and late season crops, the
application of either NPK or OMF enhanced fruit yield in these varieties.
Charleston Grey will perform as a late season crop and therefore recommended as a source of high economic
returns in terms of fruit weight and yield. Unmanured Anderson had highest vitamin C content in the late season,
hence this variety is recommended as best in terms of vitamin C content irrespective of manuring in both seasons.
Chemical and organomineral fertilizers be applied for enhancing the growth, yield and chemical and nutritional
qualities of the tested varieties of watermelon in the rainforest agro-ecology of Nigeria. It is recommended that the
rate of NPK and OMF to be applied in these tested varieties should be further studied because the rates (5 t/ha
OMF and 200 kg/ha NPK) was found to promote fruit disorders.
Acknowledgement
The authors gratefully acknowledge Institutions and Persons from where the water melon varieties were sourced and the Technical
and Field Staff of the Federal University of Technology, Akure, Nigeria, for their invaluable assistance in the conduct, data collection
and laboratory analyses activities with respect to this study.
References
Aka Adeoye G.O., Sridhar M.K.C., Adeoluwa O.O., Oyekunle M., Makinde E.A. and Olowoake A.A., 2008, Comparative evaluation of organomineral fertilizer
and mineral fertilizer on yield and quality of maize, Nigerian Journal of Soil Science, 18: 132 – 137
Agele S.O., and Olabomi A., 2010, Growth, Fruit set efficiency and Blossom end rot in Capsicum spp. in humid southwest Nigeria, Applied Tropical
Agriculture, 15:112-124.
Agele S.O., Adeyemo J.A. and Famuwagun I.B., 2011, Effects of agricultural wastes and mineral fertilizer on soil and plant nutrient status, growth and yield of
tomato, Achieves of Agronomy & Soil sciences, 57(1): 91-101.
Agele S.O., Adeniji I.E., Alabi I.A. and Olabomi A., 2008, Responses of growth yield and N use efficiency of selected tomato cultivars to variations in the
hydrothermal regimes of the cropping seasons in a rain forest zone of Nigeria, Journal of Plant Interaction, 2(4): 273-285.
Aliyu L., 2003, Effect of manure type and rate on the growth, yield and yield component of pepper (Capsicum annuum L), Journal of Sustainable Agricultural
Environment, 5:92-8.
Aloni, B., Karni, L. and Zaidman, Z., 1999, The effect of nitrogen fertilization and shading on the incidence of colour spots in sweet pepper (Capsicum annum)
fruit, Journal of Horticultural Science, 74:767 – 773.
Official Methods of Analysis, AOAC, (2002), 17th Ed., Association of Official Analytical Chemists, Washington, D.C.
Audi W., Aguyoh J.N. and Gao-Qiong L., 2013, Yield and Quality of Watermelon as affected by Organic and Inorganic Nitrogen Sources, Asian Journal of
Agriculture and
Food Science, 1:180 – 185.
Bar-Tal B., Aloni B., Karni L. and Rosenberg R., 2001, Nitrogen nutrition of greenhouse pepper: 1, Effect of nitrogen concentration and NO3: NH4 ratio on
growth, transpiration and nutrient uptake, Hortscience, 36: 45 – 62.
Boyhan M. and Masiunas J., 1999, Identifying and managing cucurbit pests. University of Illinois at Urban Champaign.
Chen C.R., Xu Z.H., and Mathers N.J., 2004, Soil carbon pools in adjacent Natural and Plantation Forests of Subtropical Australia, Soil Science Society
American Journal, 68: 282-291.
Dauda S.N., Ajayi F.A. and Ndor E., 2008, Growth and yield of watermelon (
Citrullus lanatus
) as affected by Poultry manure application, Jounal of
Agricultural Science Society, 1 4: 121 – 4.
Edoma R., 2013, Nutritional Benefits of watermelon. The Nigerian Observer, Bendel Newspaper Company Limited Publisher. Retrieved 6th July 2014.
Food and Agricultural Organization, AO, 2010,.
info-watermelon. html.Acessed on 17th July 2014.
Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Natural Resources, AFMANR, 1990, Literature on soil fertility investigation on soil fertility investigation in Nigeria. A
bulletin produced by the Federal Ministry of Agriculture and Natural Resources, Lagos. 40pp.
Ibrahim R.M., Mahanmad B., Toninu B. and Babaji A., 1997, Effects of nitrogen and phosphorus on yield and yield components of watermelon, Journal of the
