Abstract

The agricultural sector has always been an important component of the Republic of Cameroon. As of 2005, Cameroon’s workforce totaled an estimated 6.86 million of which 70% were engaged in the agricultural sector, the GDP was estimated to be 32.4 billion (CIA 2005).

The production practices of small-scale farmers are synonymous with their production characteristics such as lack of extension services, low hectare due to tenure rights, lack of storage facilities, and low levels of innovations.

This has led to high tomato prices and nutritional insecurity. Solanium lycopersicum is the second most consumed vegetable cultivated in Cameroon and other African countries.

This work was carried out in the department of ENIRONMENTAL SCIENCE of the University of Buea. A complete randomized block design was used with 3 replicates and 10 treatments composed of organic fertilizers (poultry manure) and inorganic manure (20:10:10 and urea).

The crops were planted at 20 by 20 cm spacing and the data on growth was collected fortnightly. Harvesting was done 9 WAT and yield estimate.

The plant height, leaf number, leaf area, collar diameter as well as yield of tomatoes (fruits) were significantly different from the control.20:10:10 at 30t/ha recorded significantly the highest growth and yield, was closely followed by poultry manure at 18t/ha, followed by Poultry manure at 18t/ha followed by Urea at 18t/ha while the control yielded the least.

CHAPTER ONE

INTRODUCTION

1.1 Background

Tomatoes are the edible parts of a plant that are consumed wholly or in parts, raw or cooked as part of the main dish or salad. They are the most affordable and sustainable dietary source of vitamins, trace elements, and other bioactive compounds (Bailey,2003).

They also play a vital role in the economy especially in food security because they are cultivated and are present in the market at all times of the year (Kalane et al., 2005)

In Cameroon, tomatoes are ranked second in the sector of market gardening after onions in agricultural production (Kahane et al., 2005). In recent years, their consumption is increasing gradually particularly in urban communities due to increased awareness on the food value of tomatoes as a result of exposure to other cultures and the acquisition of education on the importance of tomatoes.

In Buea, tomatoes are cultivated mostly by small-scale farmers. They are grown commercially and play a major role in income generation and subsistence (Fontem et al., 2000). Inorganic fertilizers are considered as a major source of plant nutrients (Adediran et al., 2005).

The application of poultry and pig manures is a well-known agricultural practice for maintaining soil nutrient levels and ameliorating soil physical properties to sustain crop production (Ayoola and Adeniyan 2006).

This is commonly practiced in many developing countries in the tropics where inorganic fertilizer use is limited due to either the high cost or unavailability of fertilizers (Sanchez, 2002).

Sustainable crop production requires the judicial use of inputs such as fertilizers. The use of inorganic fertilizers such as urea and 20-10-10 has drastically declined following the energy crisis, which has immensely affected most of the developing countries where inorganic fertilizer use is limited due to either high cost or the unavailability of fertilizers (Ayoola and Adeniyan 2006, Sanchez, 2002).

Buea is highly endowed with livestock especially poultry and pigs. According to Ekue et al., (2001), poultry manure can generate about 1.5million tones of fresh droppings annually. Efficient use of these manures can therefore help in alleviating the problem of declining soil fertility experienced in most of the fallowed lands in Buea.

Most studies on the utilization of animal manure and inorganic fertilizers in Cameroon have largely focused on crop yield responses of field crops with very little effort to relate such responses to the nutrient concentration of the plants.

Although these manures and other organic fertilizers enhance plant growth and thus increase yields, there is a growing concern about the bio-safety of crops receiving high inputs of both organic and inorganic fertilizers especially the high loads of heavy metals which can accumulate in the soil and plant organs (Rahaman et al., 2007, Malak & Emad, 2007).

Vegetables accumulate heavy metals in their edible and non-edible parts. Although some of the heavy metals such as Zn, Mn, Ni, and Cu act as micro-nutrients at lower concentrations, they become toxic at higher concentrations.

Tomatoes were chosen because they are valued by different communities for their taste, nutritional qualities, medicinal and culinary properties (Kahane et al., 2005). The sales of tomatoes help in income generation, poverty alleviation, and also ensuring food security which is the Millennium Development Goals.

In recent years, their consumption is gradually increasing particularly among the urban communities due to increased awareness of the food value of vegetables and tomatoes as a result of exposure to other cultures and the acquisition of education on the importance of tomatoes.

 

This has caused the demand for tomatoes to increase especially in urban areas where the people are involved in secondary and tertiary production (Schippers, 2000).

By studying the effects of these organic and inorganic fertilizers on the nutrient concentration of tomatoes, this study will be able to provide scientific basis for advising the producers and consumers of tomatoes, the appropriate level of fertilizers that will cause an optimum growth and a safe nutrient concentration.

 

This study will be beneficial to tomato growers (increased income from tomatoes), consumers and the country’s economy (by contributing in solving problems related to health diseases resulting from the consumption of over-fertilized tomatoes)

1.2 Problem Statement

Among the constraints that hinder optimal production of tomatoes in Africa, the depletion of soil nutrients has been a major contributor to the low output. The production of these tomatoes falls short of demand due to the poor agronomic practices, pest and diseases. This has led to the indiscriminate use of both organic and inorganic fertilizers to augment the yield of this crop by gardeners.

The use of fertilizers to cultivate this crop produces different growth responses and changes plant levels which can be toxic to the plant or humans who consume them. The effect of organic and inorganic fertilizers on the consumption of tomatoes in Buea is not yet known.

1.3 Rationale of Study

Most studies on the use of fertilizers in Cameroon have been focusing on crop yield with very little efforts to relate such crop responses with the different application of the various organic and inorganic fertilizers.

Law-ogbomo and Ajayi (2009) documented the effects of cultural practices like spacing and planting densities on the growth of tomatoes in Nigeria. Very little has been done on the effects of fertilizers on its growth and yield of tomatoes in Buea.

This study is aimed at determining the effects of organic manures (poultry and pig manures) and NPK 20-10-10 on the growth of tomatoes. With increasing demand of this crop, there is a need to make use of fertilization techniques which will enhance the vegetative qualities like the leaf sizes, leaf number, plant height and the sizes of tomatoes and at the same time determine the levels of application of these fertilizers which are safe for human consumption.

There is a need for comparing different types of animal manures under similar field conditions. This is important in coming up with manure recommendations.

The study therefore intends to make recommendations to the growers of these tomatoes on the most effective level of application of poultry manure and combinations with NPK 20-10-10 or with urea that will optimize yields of tomatoes.

The study will go further to bring forth the following projections:

It will help to create awareness amongst the farmers in Buea who are engaged in the cultivation of tomatoes to take advantage of this study in order to improve on their yield and productivity.

If farmers are aware of this effect, it will go a long way to empower them and help to enhance rural development thus alleviating poverty.

It will equally help the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development to avoid misplaced priorities and focus on didactic materials and subsidies in this sector which could help tomato farmers to be dynamic and help the country emerge by 2035 as projected.

1.4 Research Questions

The study will attempt to answer the following questions:

1. What are the different fertilizers used by tomato growers in Buea and what are the constraints associated with vegetable or tomato cultivation in this region?
2. Which type of fertilizers or fertilizer combinations will optimize the growth and yield of tomatoes?
3. Does the application of poultry manure, pig manure, NPK affect the yield of tomatoes?

Read Also: The Effects Of Urban Agriculture On Household Income And Livelihood In Molyko Neighborhood

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