Influence of Poultry Manure on Growth and Fruit Yield of Selected Pepper Species and Their Qualities after Storage in Various Structures

The production of pepper is low due to decrease in fertility of soil and inadequate storage structures. The study was aimed at evaluating the growth, yield and storage qualities of selected pepper varieties as influenced by poultry manure and storage structures in Ibadan, Nigeria. A field experiment was carried out at Department of Agronomy, University of Ibadan between November, 2017 and April, 2018 growing season. Two varieties of pepper (Capsicum annum and Capsicum frutescens) were used, with four treatments consisting of different rates of poultry manure. Controls of 0 g of poultry manure (T1), 12.5 g (T2), 25 g (T3) and 37.5 g (T4) were laid out in a complete randomised design and replicated four times. Storage experiment was carried out in the Department and at Nigeria Stored Products Research Institute (NSPRI), Ibadan in June, 2018. The storage experiment comprised of four treatments with ambient condition (open shelf), wet basket, Evaporative Coolant Structure (ECS/Pot-in-pot), and plastic crates used as storage structures, laid out in a completely randomised design and replicated three times. The physical parameters obtained in days in storage (DIS) included weight loss (%), firmness, freshness, among others. Data observed were subjected to analysis of variance (ANOVA) and means separated using least significant difference (LSD) at p>0.05. The result obtained showed that pepper growth was enhanced using Capsicum frutescens under 25 g poultry manure application rate which resulted to superior pepper yield. The combination of pot-in-pot with sawdust as storage structures enhanced the storage qualities of pepper fruits within the two weeks of storage. Although, the different manure treatments had no significant effect on the postharvest quality of pepper, the ECS can be effectively used in the storage of pepper fruits in order to improve postharvest quality, extend shelf life and enhance affordability of the commodity at all seasons.