Open AccessHYDROPONICS SYSTEM AS AN ALTERNATIVE TO SOIL FARMING OF WATERMELON IN NIGERIA
Author(s) -
Chukwunalu Ossai,
S.A. Ojobor,
Stephanie Clara Akpeji,
O. E. Oroghe,
S. Ogbole
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
american international journal of agricultural studies
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
eISSN - 2641-418X
pISSN - 2641-4155
DOI - 10.46545/aijas.v5i1.200
Subject(s) - hydroponics , melon , agriculture , loam , crop , agronomy , yield (engineering) , horticulture , mathematics , biology , environmental science , soil water , ecology , materials science , metallurgy
Watermelon is an important vegetable consumed worldwide. It is mostly grown in a sandy loam soil with a pH value ranging from 6.5 to 7.5. However, due to the constraints in land accessibility coupled to the farmers-herders clashes for limited land resources in Nigeria, it is important to shift the focus from land extensification to intensification farming. This study therefore compares the potential of hydroponics system of cultivating watermelon relative to conventional soil farming system. Three varieties of water melon (Diamond black, Crimson sweet and Travelers watermelon varieties) were planted in 2 substrate conditions (soil and cocopeat) 4 kg each. It was a 3x2 factorial experiment arranged in a completely randomized design with 3 replicates. Data were collected on the agronomic and yield parameters, and analysed using ANOVA, and means were separated using LSD at 5% level of significance. Results obtained showed varied agronomic performances among the genotypes, while the Crimson sweet watermelon produced significantly heavier fruit size (5.38±0.34) compared to the rest genotype. However, the highest number of fruits (2.33±0.22) was obtained in the soil, but the substrate type was insignificant in the average fruit weight. Hence, the hydroponics system is recommended as a complementary alternative to soil farming.