Abstract

Pot and field experiments were conducted at the Teaching and Research Farm of Agricultural Science Department, and the screen-house of the Department of Biology, Adeyemi College of Education, Ondo, Southwestern Nigeria in 2018 to compare the effect of cattle dung (CD) and poultry dung (PD) on nutritive value of African garden egg (Solanum macrocarpon). In pot experiment, cattle dung and poultry manure were separately applied as treatments at the rate of 0, 25, 37.5 and 50 g/10 kg soil to represent 0, 5, 7.5 and 10 t ha-1 while cattle dung and poultry manure were separately applied at 0, 5, 7.5 and 10 t ha-1 in field experiment. In pot experiment, the treatments were laid out in completely randomized design (CRD) while randomized complete block design (RCBD) was used in field experiment. All the treatments were replicated three times. The results obtained in pot and field experiments followed the same trend. Relative to control, except 5CD and 5PD, all the treatments significantly increased (p < 0.05) crude protein, carbohydrate, fat, fibre and ash content of Solanum macrocarpon. Poultry dung applied at 7.5 and 10 t ha -1 had higher increase in plant crude protein, carbohydrate, fibre and ash content of Solanum macrocarpon than its corresponding 7.5 and 10 t ha-1 cattle dung. Poultry manure applied at 7.5 t ha -1 is most suitable for growing Solamun macrocarpon and where poultry manure is not available cattle dung can be used.